City comparison
Greenville, SC vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 13.0% higher than in Greenville, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Greenville, SC would need about $113,000 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 $1,221 in Greenville, SC. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 20% in Greenville, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,077 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Greenville, SC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.7% moving from Greenville, SC to Portland, OR ($106,437 → $114,684), while prices change by +13.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.7% in real buying power.
- Greenville, SC: price level 93.3 (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
| Greenville, SC | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.3 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $113,040 in Portland | $88,464 in Greenville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,221/mo | $1,677/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,580 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greenville | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 88.8 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 93.3 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greenville, SC → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.5%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$3,077/yr.
33 Weak offer
Portland, OR → Greenville, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.0%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$3,077/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Greenville, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Portland, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Greenville, SC to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greenville, SC | Portland, OR | Real change, Greenville → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $66,505 | −4.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $80,465 | −4.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $96,443 | −4.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $114,684 | −4.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $135,522 | −4.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Greenville, SC | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Greenville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,680 | $82,330 | $72,833 (+20.0%) |
| Software Developers | $121,790 | $156,000 | $138,004 (+13.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,870 | $92,200 | $81,564 (+6.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,400 | $130,310 | $115,278 (+41.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.