City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Boulder, CO (105.2) and Portland, OR (105.4, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Boulder, CO goes as far as $100,200 in Portland, OR.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $1,677 in Portland, OR. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 28% in Portland, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,229 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Boulder, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.4% moving from Boulder, CO to Portland, OR ($118,675 → $114,684), while prices change by +0.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.6% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- 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
| Boulder, CO | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,208 in Portland | $99,792 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,677/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Portland, OR
Roughly even
Buying power −0.2%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$4,229/yr.
63 Fair offer
Portland, OR → Boulder, CO
Roughly even
Buying power +0.2%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax −$4,229/yr.
64 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Portland, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Portland, OR | Real change, Boulder → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $66,505 | −3.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $80,465 | −3.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $96,443 | −3.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $114,684 | −3.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $135,522 | −3.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $82,330 | $82,159 (+1.9%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $156,000 | $155,676 (−5.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $92,200 | $92,008 (−8.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $130,310 | $130,039 (+25.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.