City comparison
Atlanta, GA vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 1.8% higher than in Atlanta, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Atlanta, GA would need about $101,800 in Portland, ME to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,660 a month in Atlanta, GA and $1,658 in Portland, ME.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,087 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Atlanta, GA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.1% moving from Atlanta, GA to Portland, ME ($112,556 → $120,548), while prices change by +1.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.2% in real buying power.
- Atlanta, GA: price level 100.1 (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
| Atlanta, GA | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,799 in Portland | $98,233 in Atlanta |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,660/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,170 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlanta | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.0 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 100.4 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 96.2 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlanta, GA → Portland, ME
Roughly even
Buying power −1.8%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$1,087/yr.
60 Fair offer
Portland, ME → Atlanta, GA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.8%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax −$1,087/yr.
72 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlanta, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlanta, GA to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlanta, GA | Portland, ME | Real change, Atlanta → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $69,905 | +5.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $84,579 | +5.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $101,375 | +5.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $120,548 | +5.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $142,452 | +5.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlanta, GA | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Atlanta dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,570 | $76,770 | $75,413 (−1.5%) |
| Software Developers | $132,960 | $128,710 | $126,435 (−4.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,820 | $79,790 | $78,380 (−8.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $88,470 | $86,907 (−13.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.