City comparison
Portland, ME vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 16.6% higher than in Youngstown, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Youngstown, OH would need about $116,600 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 $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 12% in Youngstown, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,687 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Youngstown, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.8% moving from Portland, ME to Youngstown, OH ($120,548 → $111,138), while prices change by −14.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.5% in real buying power.
- Portland, ME: price level 101.9 (about average)
- Youngstown, OH: price level 87.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Portland, ME | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.9 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $85,800 in Youngstown | $116,550 in Portland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,658/mo | $771/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,526 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,654 (ME) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,960 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: Portland-South Portland, ME and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Portland | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.2 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 97.2 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 134.6 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 103.2 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 101.9 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Portland, ME → Youngstown, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +16.6%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$3,687/yr.
100 Strong offer
Youngstown, OH → Portland, ME
Same pay buys less
Buying power −14.2%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$3,687/yr.
34 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Portland, ME is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Youngstown, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Portland, ME to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Portland, ME | Youngstown, OH | Real change, Portland → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $64,448 | +7.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $77,977 | +7.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $93,461 | +7.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $111,138 | +7.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $131,331 | +7.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Portland, ME | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in Portland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,770 | $72,560 | $84,569 (+10.2%) |
| Software Developers | $128,710 | $107,990 | $125,863 (−2.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,790 | $73,080 | $85,175 (+6.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $88,470 | $78,680 | $91,702 (+3.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.