City comparison
Portland, OR vs Spartanburg, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 15.8% higher than in Spartanburg, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Spartanburg, SC would need about $115,800 in Portland, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,677 a month in Portland, OR versus $1,083 in Spartanburg, SC. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 17% in Spartanburg, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,077 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Spartanburg, SC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.2% moving from Portland, OR to Spartanburg, SC ($114,684 → $106,437), while prices change by −13.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.5% in real buying power.
- Portland, OR: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Spartanburg, SC: price level 91.1 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Portland, OR | Spartanburg, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 91.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $86,369 in Spartanburg | $115,782 in Portland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,677/mo | $1,083/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,690 | $47,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA and Spartanburg, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA and Spartanburg, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Portland | Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 68.0 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 88.3 |
| Other services | 100.1 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 91.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Portland, OR → Spartanburg, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$3,077/yr.
100 Strong offer
Spartanburg, SC → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.6%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$3,077/yr.
33 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Portland, OR is in the Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA pay area; Spartanburg, SC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Portland, OR to Spartanburg, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Portland, OR | Spartanburg, SC | Real change, Portland → Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $66,505 | $61,722 | +7.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $80,465 | $74,678 | +7.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $96,443 | $89,508 | +7.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $114,684 | $106,437 | +7.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $135,522 | $125,776 | +7.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Portland, OR | Spartanburg, SC | Spartanburg pay in Portland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $82,330 | $60,990 | $70,616 (−14.2%) |
| Software Developers | $156,000 | $114,460 | $132,524 (−15.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,200 | $77,080 | $89,245 (−3.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $130,310 | $82,360 | $95,358 (−26.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.