City comparison
Akron, OH vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 9.1% higher than in Akron, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Akron, OH would need about $109,100 in Portland, ME to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,658 a month in Portland, ME versus $985 in Akron, OH. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 15% in Akron, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,687 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Akron, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.5% moving from Akron, OH to Portland, ME ($111,138 → $120,548), while prices change by +9.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.6% in real buying power.
- Akron, OH: price level 93.4 (cheaper)
- Portland, ME: price level 101.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Akron, OH | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.4 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,091 in Portland | $91,667 in Akron |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $985/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,840 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Akron, OH MSA and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Akron, OH and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Akron | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 96.4 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 93.4 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Akron, OH → Portland, ME
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.3%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$3,687/yr.
40 Weak offer
Portland, ME → Akron, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$3,687/yr.
97 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Akron, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Akron, OH to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Akron, OH | Portland, ME | Real change, Akron → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $69,905 | −0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $84,579 | −0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $101,375 | −0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $120,548 | −0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $142,452 | −0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Akron, OH | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Akron dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $104,530 | $103,440 | $94,820 (−9.3%) |
| Software Developers | $105,430 | $128,710 | $117,984 (+11.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,540 | $79,790 | $73,141 (−6.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,770 | $88,470 | $81,098 (+0.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.