City comparison
Portland, OR vs Tuscaloosa, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 20.2% higher than in Tuscaloosa, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tuscaloosa, AL would need about $120,200 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 $972 in Tuscaloosa, AL. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 16% in Tuscaloosa, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,185 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Tuscaloosa, AL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.3% moving from Portland, OR to Tuscaloosa, AL ($114,684 → $107,510), while prices change by −16.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +12.7% in real buying power.
- Portland, OR: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Tuscaloosa, AL: price level 87.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Portland, OR | Tuscaloosa, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 87.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $83,211 in Tuscaloosa | $120,176 in Portland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,677/mo | $972/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,690 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL |
Rent areas: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA and Tuscaloosa, AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA and Tuscaloosa, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Portland | Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 58.2 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 84.4 |
| Other services | 100.1 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 87.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Portland, OR → Tuscaloosa, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +20.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$3,185/yr.
100 Strong offer
Tuscaloosa, AL → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −16.8%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$3,185/yr.
33 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Portland, OR is in the Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA pay area; Tuscaloosa, AL is in Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Portland, OR to Tuscaloosa, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Portland, OR | Tuscaloosa, AL | Real change, Portland → Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $66,505 | $62,344 | +12.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $80,465 | $75,431 | +12.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $96,443 | $90,410 | +12.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $114,684 | $107,510 | +12.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $135,522 | $127,044 | +12.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Portland, OR | Tuscaloosa, AL | Tuscaloosa pay in Portland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $82,330 | $60,220 | $72,370 (−12.1%) |
| Software Developers | $156,000 | $104,870 | $126,029 (−19.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,200 | $71,690 | $86,154 (−6.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $130,310 | $75,250 | $90,433 (−30.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.