City comparison
Portland, ME vs Winston, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 10.7% higher than in Winston, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Winston, NC would need about $110,700 in Portland, ME to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,658 a month in Portland, ME versus $1,082 in Winston, NC. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 17% in Winston, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,173 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Winston, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.7% moving from Portland, ME to Winston, NC ($120,548 → $106,437), while prices change by −9.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.3% in real buying power.
- Portland, ME: price level 101.9 (about average)
- Winston, NC: price level 92.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Portland, ME | Winston, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.9 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,364 in Winston | $110,663 in Portland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,658/mo | $1,082/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,526 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,654 (ME) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,960 | $46,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area and Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Portland-South Portland, ME and Winston-Salem, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Portland | Winston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.2 | 71.4 |
| Goods | 97.2 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 134.6 | 88.4 |
| Other services | 103.2 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 101.9 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Portland, ME → Winston, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,173/yr.
100 Strong offer
Winston, NC → Portland, ME
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.6%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$2,173/yr.
36 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Portland, ME is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Winston, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Portland, ME to Winston, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Portland, ME | Winston, NC | Real change, Portland → Winston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $61,722 | −2.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $74,678 | −2.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $89,508 | −2.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $106,437 | −2.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $125,776 | −2.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Portland, ME | Winston, NC | Winston pay in Portland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,770 | $56,510 | $62,536 (−18.5%) |
| Software Developers | $128,710 | $124,130 | $137,367 (+6.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,790 | $78,950 | $87,369 (+9.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $88,470 | $86,120 | $95,303 (+7.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.