City comparison
Portland, OR vs Stockton, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Portland, OR (105.4) and Stockton, CA (105.1, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Portland, OR goes as far as $99,700 in Stockton, CA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,677 a month in Portland, OR versus $1,395 in Stockton, CA. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 23% in Stockton, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,850 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Stockton, CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +16.0% moving from Portland, OR to Stockton, CA ($114,684 → $133,060), while prices change by −0.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +16.4% in real buying power.
- Portland, OR: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Stockton, CA: price level 105.1 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Portland, OR | Stockton, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 105.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,685 in Stockton | $100,316 in Portland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,677/mo | $1,395/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% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,690 | $48,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA and Stockton-Lodi, CA MSA. Metro areas: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA and Stockton-Lodi, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Portland | Stockton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 115.6 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 158.2 |
| Other services | 100.1 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 105.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Portland, OR → Stockton, CA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.3%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$2,850/yr.
70 Fair offer
Stockton, CA → Portland, OR
Roughly even
Buying power −0.3%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$2,850/yr.
63 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Portland, OR is in the Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA pay area; Stockton, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Portland, OR to Stockton, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Portland, OR | Stockton, CA | Real change, Portland → Stockton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $66,505 | $77,161 | +16.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $80,465 | $93,358 | +16.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $96,443 | $111,896 | +16.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $114,684 | $133,060 | +16.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $135,522 | $157,236 | +16.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Portland, OR | Stockton, CA | Stockton pay in Portland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $82,330 | $97,400 | $97,708 (+18.7%) |
| Software Developers | $156,000 | $138,550 | $138,988 (−10.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,200 | $83,570 | $83,834 (−9.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $130,310 | $134,580 | $135,005 (+3.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.