City comparison
Portland, OR vs Sacramento, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Sacramento, CA are 1.2% higher than in Portland, OR. Someone earning $100,000 in Portland, OR would need about $101,200 in Sacramento, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,832 a month in Sacramento, CA versus $1,677 in Portland, OR. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Sacramento, CA and 28% in Portland, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,850 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Sacramento, CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.9% moving from Portland, OR to Sacramento, CA ($114,684 → $117,984), while prices change by +1.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.7% in real buying power.
- Portland, OR: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Sacramento, CA: price level 106.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Portland, OR | Sacramento, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 106.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,185 in Sacramento | $98,829 in Portland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,677/mo | $1,832/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,690 | $59,750 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA | Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV |
Rent areas: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA and Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA and Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Portland | Sacramento |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 130.2 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 151.3 |
| Other services | 100.1 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 106.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Portland, OR → Sacramento, CA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.2%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax −$2,850/yr.
58 Fair offer
Sacramento, CA → Portland, OR
Roughly even
Buying power +1.2%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$2,850/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Portland, OR is in the Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA pay area; Sacramento, CA is in Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Portland, OR to Sacramento, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Portland, OR | Sacramento, CA | Real change, Portland → Sacramento |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $66,505 | $68,419 | +1.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $80,465 | $82,780 | +1.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $96,443 | $99,218 | +1.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $114,684 | $117,984 | +1.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $135,522 | $139,422 | +1.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Portland, OR | Sacramento, CA | Sacramento pay in Portland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $82,330 | $103,390 | $102,179 (+24.1%) |
| Software Developers | $156,000 | $139,640 | $138,005 (−11.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,200 | $92,110 | $91,031 (−1.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $130,310 | $171,460 | $169,452 (+30.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.