City comparison
Durham, NC vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 8.0% higher than in Durham, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Durham, NC would need about $108,000 in Portland, OR to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,677 a month in Portland, OR versus $1,507 in Durham, NC. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 24% in Durham, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,439 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Durham, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.2% moving from Durham, NC to Portland, OR ($111,147 → $114,684), while prices change by +8.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.5% in real buying power.
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (cheaper)
- 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
| Durham, NC | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.6 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,044 in Portland | $92,555 in Durham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $1,677/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,720 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Durham | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.9 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 97.6 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Durham, NC → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.4%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$4,439/yr.
41 Weak offer
Portland, OR → Durham, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$4,439/yr.
94 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Durham, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Portland, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Durham, NC to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Durham, NC | Portland, OR | Real change, Durham → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $66,505 | −4.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $80,465 | −4.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $96,443 | −4.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $114,684 | −4.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $135,522 | −4.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Durham, NC | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Durham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $51,400 | $82,330 | $76,200 (+48.2%) |
| Software Developers | $135,620 | $156,000 | $144,385 (+6.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $92,200 | $85,335 (+0.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | not published | $130,310 | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.