City comparison
Eugene, OR vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Eugene, OR (101.6) and Portland, ME (101.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Eugene, OR goes as far as $100,300 in Portland, ME.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,658 a month in Portland, ME versus $1,286 in Eugene, OR. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 22% in Eugene, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,266 a year higher in Eugene, OR than in Portland, ME.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Eugene, OR to Portland, ME ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +0.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +12.9% in real buying power.
- Eugene, OR: price level 101.6 (about average)
- 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
| Eugene, OR | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.6 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,286 in Portland | $99,715 in Eugene |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,286/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,680 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Eugene-Springfield, OR MSA and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Eugene-Springfield, OR and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Eugene | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.3 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 105.3 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 102.5 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 101.6 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Eugene, OR → Portland, ME
Roughly even
Buying power −0.3%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax −$2,266/yr.
65 Fair offer
Portland, ME → Eugene, OR
Roughly even
Buying power +0.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$2,266/yr.
70 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Eugene, OR 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 Eugene, OR to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Eugene, OR | Portland, ME | Real change, Eugene → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | +12.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | +12.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | +12.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | +12.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | +12.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Eugene, OR | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Eugene dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,260 | $76,770 | $76,551 (+19.1%) |
| Software Developers | $121,050 | $128,710 | $128,344 (+6.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,930 | $79,790 | $79,563 (−0.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $113,720 | $88,470 | $88,218 (−22.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.