City comparison
Atlantic City, NJ vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 3.0% higher than in Atlantic City, NJ. Someone earning $100,000 in Atlantic City, NJ would need about $103,000 in Portland, ME to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,658 a month in Portland, ME versus $1,537 in Atlantic City, NJ. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 25% in Atlantic City, NJ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,474 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Atlantic City, NJ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.8% moving from Atlantic City, NJ to Portland, ME ($117,284 → $120,548), while prices change by +3.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.2% in real buying power.
- Atlantic City, NJ: price level 98.9 (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
| Atlantic City, NJ | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.9 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,036 in Portland | $97,054 in Atlantic City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,000 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,180 (NJ) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,520 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlantic City | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.7 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 99.8 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 109.2 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 97.9 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 98.9 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlantic City, NJ → Portland, ME
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.9%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$1,474/yr.
56 Fair offer
Portland, ME → Atlantic City, NJ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.0%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$1,474/yr.
78 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlantic City, NJ is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlantic City, NJ to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlantic City, NJ | Portland, ME | Real change, Atlantic City → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $69,905 | −0.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $84,579 | −0.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $101,375 | −0.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $120,548 | −0.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $142,452 | −0.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlantic City, NJ | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Atlantic City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,480 | $76,770 | $74,508 (−7.4%) |
| Software Developers | $126,670 | $128,710 | $124,918 (−1.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,040 | $79,790 | $77,439 (−6.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,320 | $88,470 | $85,863 (−13.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.