City comparison
Portland, OR vs Visalia, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 5.6% higher than in Visalia, CA. Someone earning $100,000 in Visalia, CA would need about $105,600 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 $1,123 in Visalia, CA. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 18% in Visalia, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,850 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Visalia, CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.7% moving from Portland, OR to Visalia, CA ($114,684 → $106,973), while prices change by −5.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.5% in real buying power.
- Portland, OR: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Visalia, CA: price level 99.8 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Portland, OR | Visalia, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,692 in Visalia | $105,606 in Portland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,677/mo | $1,123/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% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,690 | $45,130 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA |
Rent areas: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA and Visalia, CA MSA. Metro areas: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA and Visalia, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Portland | Visalia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 84.1 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 156.4 |
| Other services | 100.1 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Portland, OR → Visalia, CA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$2,850/yr.
86 Strong offer
Visalia, CA → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.3%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$2,850/yr.
47 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Portland, OR is in the Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA pay area; Visalia, CA is in Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Portland, OR to Visalia, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Portland, OR | Visalia, CA | Real change, Portland → Visalia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $66,505 | $62,033 | −1.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $80,465 | $75,055 | −1.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $96,443 | $89,959 | −1.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $114,684 | $106,973 | −1.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $135,522 | $126,410 | −1.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Portland, OR | Visalia, CA | Visalia pay in Portland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $82,330 | $98,430 | $103,948 (+26.3%) |
| Software Developers | $156,000 | $126,170 | $133,243 (−14.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,200 | $79,400 | $83,851 (−9.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $130,310 | $125,180 | $132,197 (+1.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.