City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 3.3% higher than in Portland, ME. Someone earning $100,000 in Portland, ME would need about $103,300 in Boulder, CO to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $1,658 in Portland, ME. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 27% in Portland, ME.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,963 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Boulder, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.6% moving from Boulder, CO to Portland, ME ($118,675 → $120,548), while prices change by −3.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.9% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (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
| Boulder, CO | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,821 in Portland | $103,283 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Portland, ME
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.3%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$1,963/yr.
76 Strong offer
Portland, ME → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.2%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax −$1,963/yr.
54 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Portland, ME | Real change, Boulder → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $69,905 | +4.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $84,579 | +4.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $101,375 | +4.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $120,548 | +4.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $142,452 | +4.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $76,770 | $79,290 (−1.7%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $128,710 | $132,936 (−19.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $79,790 | $82,410 (−17.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $88,470 | $91,374 (−11.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.