City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Ann Arbor, MI (100.9) and Portland, ME (101.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Ann Arbor, MI goes as far as $101,000 in Portland, ME.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,658 a month in Portland, ME versus $1,387 in Ann Arbor, MI. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 22% in Ann Arbor, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,655 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Ann Arbor, MI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.7% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to Portland, ME ($117,402 → $120,548), while prices change by +1.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.7% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (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
| Ann Arbor, MI | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,969 in Portland | $99,040 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Portland, ME
Roughly even
Buying power −1.0%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$1,655/yr.
63 Fair offer
Portland, ME → Ann Arbor, MI
Roughly even
Buying power +1.0%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$1,655/yr.
72 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Portland, ME | Real change, Ann Arbor → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $69,905 | +1.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $84,579 | +1.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $101,375 | +1.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $120,548 | +1.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $142,452 | +1.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,060 | $76,770 | $76,033 (+18.7%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $128,710 | $127,474 (+0.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $79,790 | $79,024 (−1.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $88,470 | $87,621 (−15.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.