City comparison
Portland, OR vs Wilmington, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 9.3% higher than in Wilmington, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Wilmington, NC would need about $109,300 in Portland, OR to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,677 a month in Portland, OR versus $1,513 in Wilmington, NC. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 24% in Wilmington, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,439 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Wilmington, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.2% moving from Portland, OR to Wilmington, NC ($114,684 → $106,437), while prices change by −8.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.5% in real buying power.
- Portland, OR: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Wilmington, NC: price level 96.4 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Portland, OR | Wilmington, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 96.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,464 in Wilmington | $109,333 in Portland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,677/mo | $1,513/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,690 | $45,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA and Wilmington, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA and Wilmington, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Portland | Wilmington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 93.2 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 100.1 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 96.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Portland, OR → Wilmington, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$4,439/yr.
98 Strong offer
Wilmington, NC → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.5%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$4,439/yr.
37 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Portland, OR is in the Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA pay area; Wilmington, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Portland, OR to Wilmington, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Portland, OR | Wilmington, NC | Real change, Portland → Wilmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $66,505 | $61,722 | +1.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $80,465 | $74,678 | +1.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $96,443 | $89,508 | +1.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $114,684 | $106,437 | +1.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $135,522 | $125,776 | +1.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Portland, OR | Wilmington, NC | Wilmington pay in Portland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $82,330 | $48,240 | $52,742 (−35.9%) |
| Software Developers | $156,000 | $123,730 | $135,278 (−13.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,200 | $77,920 | $85,192 (−7.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $130,310 | $80,970 | $88,527 (−32.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.