City comparison
Boston, MA vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boston, MA are 6.3% higher than in Portland, ME. Someone earning $100,000 in Portland, ME would need about $106,300 in Boston, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,476 a month in Boston, MA versus $1,658 in Portland, ME. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in Boston, MA and 27% in Portland, ME.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $874 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Boston, MA.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $120,548 in either. A transfer from Boston, MA to Portland, ME changes real buying power by +6.3%, purely from prices.
- Boston, MA: price level 108.3 (much 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
| Boston, MA | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.3 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,081 in Portland | $106,291 in Boston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,476/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,400 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,780 (MA) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 40% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $66,620 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boston | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.4 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 148.8 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 103.6 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 108.3 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boston, MA → Portland, ME
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.3%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$874/yr.
85 Strong offer
Portland, ME → Boston, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.9%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax −$874/yr.
28 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Boston, MA to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boston, MA | Portland, ME | Real change, Boston → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $69,905 | +6.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $84,579 | +6.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $101,375 | +6.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $120,548 | +6.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $142,452 | +6.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boston, MA | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Boston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,060 | $76,770 | $81,600 (−16.8%) |
| Software Developers | $166,090 | $128,710 | $136,807 (−17.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,150 | $79,790 | $84,810 (−15.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,180 | $88,470 | $94,036 (−11.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.