City comparison
Allentown, PA vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 1.9% higher than in Allentown, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Allentown, PA would need about $101,900 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 $1,341 in Allentown, PA. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 21% in Allentown, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,584 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Allentown, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.9% moving from Allentown, PA to Portland, ME ($125,431 → $120,548), while prices change by +1.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.7% in real buying power.
- Allentown, PA: price level 100.0 (about average)
- 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
| Allentown, PA | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.0 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,891 in Portland | $98,144 in Allentown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,341/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 21% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,990 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Allentown | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.5 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 100.6 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 107.6 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 100.0 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Allentown, PA → Portland, ME
Roughly even
Buying power −1.9%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$2,584/yr.
60 Fair offer
Portland, ME → Allentown, PA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.9%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax −$2,584/yr.
75 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Allentown, PA is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Allentown, PA to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Allentown, PA | Portland, ME | Real change, Allentown → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $69,905 | −5.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $84,579 | −5.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $101,375 | −5.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $120,548 | −5.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $142,452 | −5.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Allentown, PA | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Allentown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,040 | $76,770 | $75,346 (−4.7%) |
| Software Developers | $122,930 | $128,710 | $126,322 (+2.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,430 | $79,790 | $78,309 (−0.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,440 | $88,470 | $86,828 (−14.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.