City comparison
Crestview, FL vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 5.0% higher than in Crestview, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Crestview, FL would need about $105,000 in Portland, ME to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,581 a month in Crestview, FL and $1,658 in Portland, ME.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,654 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Crestview, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Crestview, FL to Portland, ME ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +5.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.9% in real buying power.
- Crestview, FL: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
- 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
| Crestview, FL | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.0 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,975 in Portland | $95,261 in Crestview |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,581/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,510 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Crestview | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.9 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 89.0 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 97.0 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Crestview, FL → Portland, ME
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.7%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$5,654/yr.
51 Fair offer
Portland, ME → Crestview, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$5,654/yr.
84 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Crestview, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Crestview, FL to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Crestview, FL | Portland, ME | Real change, Crestview → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | +7.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | +7.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | +7.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | +7.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | +7.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Crestview, FL | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Crestview dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,330 | $76,770 | $73,132 (+21.2%) |
| Software Developers | $130,640 | $128,710 | $122,610 (−6.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,510 | $79,790 | $76,009 (−4.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,260 | $88,470 | $84,277 (+3.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.