City comparison
Eugene, OR vs Lancaster, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Eugene, OR are 3.4% higher than in Lancaster, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Lancaster, PA would need about $103,400 in Eugene, OR to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,286 a month in Eugene, OR versus $1,220 in Lancaster, PA. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Eugene, OR and 19% in Lancaster, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,850 a year higher in Eugene, OR than in Lancaster, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.0% moving from Eugene, OR to Lancaster, PA ($106,437 → $108,592), while prices change by −3.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.5% in real buying power.
- Eugene, OR: price level 101.6 (about average)
- Lancaster, PA: price level 98.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Eugene, OR | Lancaster, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.6 | 98.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,740 in Lancaster | $103,370 in Eugene |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,286/mo | $1,220/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,680 | $48,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA |
Rent areas: Eugene-Springfield, OR MSA and Lancaster, PA MSA. Metro areas: Eugene-Springfield, OR and Lancaster, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Eugene | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.3 | 93.8 |
| Goods | 105.3 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 102.5 | 107.3 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 101.6 | 98.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Eugene, OR → Lancaster, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,850/yr.
79 Strong offer
Lancaster, PA → Eugene, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$4,850/yr.
59 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Eugene, OR is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Lancaster, PA is in Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Eugene, OR to Lancaster, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Eugene, OR | Lancaster, PA | Real change, Eugene → Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,972 | +5.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,190 | +5.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,320 | +5.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,592 | +5.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,323 | +5.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Eugene, OR | Lancaster, PA | Lancaster pay in Eugene dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,260 | $78,360 | $81,001 (+26.1%) |
| Software Developers | $121,050 | $104,740 | $108,269 (−10.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,930 | $76,110 | $78,675 (−1.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $113,720 | $89,620 | $92,640 (−18.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.