City comparison
Baltimore, MD vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Baltimore, MD are 2.6% higher than in Portland, ME. Someone earning $100,000 in Portland, ME would need about $102,600 in Baltimore, MD to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,658 a month in Portland, ME versus $1,511 in Baltimore, MD. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 24% in Baltimore, MD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,268 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Baltimore, MD.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.0% moving from Baltimore, MD to Portland, ME ($121,785 → $120,548), while prices change by −2.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.5% in real buying power.
- Baltimore, MD: price level 104.5 (pricier)
- 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
| Baltimore, MD | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.5 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,484 in Portland | $102,581 in Baltimore |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,511/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,070 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baltimore | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 118.2 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 102.4 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 110.2 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 101.5 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 104.5 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baltimore, MD → Portland, ME
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.6%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$1,268/yr.
74 Strong offer
Portland, ME → Baltimore, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,268/yr.
61 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baltimore, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Baltimore, MD to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baltimore, MD | Portland, ME | Real change, Baltimore → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $69,905 | +1.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $84,579 | +1.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $101,375 | +1.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $120,548 | +1.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $142,452 | +1.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baltimore, MD | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Baltimore dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,400 | $76,770 | $78,751 (+3.1%) |
| Software Developers | $138,900 | $128,710 | $132,032 (−4.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,160 | $79,790 | $81,849 (−3.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,550 | $88,470 | $90,753 (−8.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.