City comparison
Eugene, OR vs Reading, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Eugene, OR are 4.6% higher than in Reading, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Reading, PA would need about $104,600 in Eugene, OR to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,286 a month in Eugene, OR and $1,237 in Reading, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,850 a year higher in Eugene, OR than in Reading, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.2% moving from Eugene, OR to Reading, PA ($106,437 → $117,284), while prices change by −4.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +15.3% in real buying power.
- Eugene, OR: price level 101.6 (about average)
- Reading, PA: price level 97.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Eugene, OR | Reading, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.6 | 97.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,562 in Reading | $104,645 in Eugene |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,286/mo | $1,237/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% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,680 | $49,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Eugene-Springfield, OR MSA and Reading, PA MSA. Metro areas: Eugene-Springfield, OR and Reading, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Eugene | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.3 | 85.4 |
| Goods | 105.3 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 102.5 | 108.2 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 101.6 | 97.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Eugene, OR → Reading, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$4,850/yr.
83 Strong offer
Reading, PA → Eugene, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.4%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$4,850/yr.
55 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Eugene, OR is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Reading, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Eugene, OR to Reading, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Eugene, OR | Reading, PA | Real change, Eugene → Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,013 | +15.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $82,289 | +15.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $98,630 | +15.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $117,284 | +15.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $138,595 | +15.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Eugene, OR | Reading, PA | Reading pay in Eugene dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,260 | $79,860 | $83,569 (+30.0%) |
| Software Developers | $121,050 | $120,920 | $126,536 (+4.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,930 | $75,550 | $79,059 (−1.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $113,720 | $98,470 | $103,043 (−9.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.