City comparison
Fresno, CA vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 3.2% higher than in Fresno, CA. Someone earning $100,000 in Fresno, CA would need about $103,200 in Portland, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,677 a month in Portland, OR versus $1,355 in Fresno, CA. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 22% in Fresno, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,850 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Fresno, CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.2% moving from Fresno, CA to Portland, OR ($106,973 → $114,684), while prices change by +3.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.9% in real buying power.
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (pricier)
- 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
| Fresno, CA | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.2 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,194 in Portland | $96,905 in Fresno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,355/mo | $1,677/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,910 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Fresno, CA and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fresno | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.7 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 161.0 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 102.2 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fresno, CA → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.1%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$2,850/yr.
54 Fair offer
Portland, OR → Fresno, CA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.2%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$2,850/yr.
79 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fresno, CA is in the Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA pay area; Portland, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Fresno, CA to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fresno, CA | Portland, OR | Real change, Fresno → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,033 | $66,505 | +3.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,055 | $80,465 | +3.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,959 | $96,443 | +3.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,973 | $114,684 | +3.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,410 | $135,522 | +3.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fresno, CA | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Fresno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,800 | $82,330 | $79,782 (+1.2%) |
| Software Developers | $129,060 | $156,000 | $151,171 (+17.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,690 | $92,200 | $89,346 (+13.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,420 | $130,310 | $126,277 (+0.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.