City comparison
Portland, ME vs York, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 6.1% higher than in York, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in York, PA would need about $106,100 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 $1,060 in York, PA. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 17% in York, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,584 a year higher in Portland, ME than in York, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.0% moving from Portland, ME to York, PA ($120,548 → $121,785), while prices change by −5.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.2% in real buying power.
- Portland, ME: price level 101.9 (about average)
- York, PA: price level 96.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Portland, ME | York, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.9 | 96.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,249 in York | $106,102 in Portland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,658/mo | $1,060/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,526 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,654 (ME) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,960 | $48,170 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area and York-Hanover, PA MSA. Metro areas: Portland-South Portland, ME and York-Hanover, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Portland | York |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.2 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 97.2 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 134.6 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 103.2 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 101.9 | 96.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Portland, ME → York, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,584/yr.
88 Strong offer
York, PA → Portland, ME
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.8%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$2,584/yr.
48 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Portland, ME is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; York, PA is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Portland, ME to York, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Portland, ME | York, PA | Real change, Portland → York |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $70,623 | +7.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $85,447 | +7.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $102,415 | +7.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $121,785 | +7.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $143,913 | +7.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Portland, ME | York, PA | York pay in Portland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,770 | $79,730 | $84,595 (+10.2%) |
| Software Developers | $128,710 | $114,600 | $121,593 (−5.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,790 | $75,160 | $79,746 (−0.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $88,470 | $96,210 | $102,081 (+15.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.