City comparison
Bakersfield, CA vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 4.5% higher than in Bakersfield, CA. Someone earning $100,000 in Bakersfield, CA would need about $104,500 in Portland, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,677 a month in Portland, OR versus $1,140 in Bakersfield, CA. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 18% in Bakersfield, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,850 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Bakersfield, CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.6% moving from Bakersfield, CA to Portland, OR ($124,085 → $114,684), while prices change by +4.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −11.6% in real buying power.
- Bakersfield, CA: price level 100.9 (about average)
- Portland, OR: price level 105.4 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Bakersfield, CA | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,495 in Portland | $95,698 in Bakersfield |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,140/mo | $1,677/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,470 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Bakersfield-Delano, CA MSA and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Bakersfield-Delano, CA and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bakersfield | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 90.3 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 158.3 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bakersfield, CA → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.3%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$2,850/yr.
50 Fair offer
Portland, OR → Bakersfield, CA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$2,850/yr.
83 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Bakersfield, CA is in the Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA pay area; Portland, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Bakersfield, CA to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bakersfield, CA | Portland, OR | Real change, Bakersfield → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,957 | $66,505 | −11.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $87,061 | $80,465 | −11.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $104,349 | $96,443 | −11.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $124,085 | $114,684 | −11.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $146,632 | $135,522 | −11.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bakersfield, CA | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Bakersfield dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,900 | $82,330 | $78,788 (−1.4%) |
| Software Developers | $130,330 | $156,000 | $149,289 (+14.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,620 | $92,200 | $88,234 (+10.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $128,810 | $130,310 | $124,704 (−3.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.