City comparison
Huntsville, AL vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 9.4% higher than in Huntsville, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntsville, AL would need about $109,400 in Portland, ME to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,658 a month in Portland, ME versus $1,136 in Huntsville, AL. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 18% in Huntsville, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $919 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Huntsville, AL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.8% moving from Huntsville, AL to Portland, ME ($110,847 → $120,548), while prices change by +9.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.6% in real buying power.
- Huntsville, AL: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
- 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
| Huntsville, AL | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,440 in Portland | $91,374 in Huntsville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,136/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,740 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Huntsville, AL MSA and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Huntsville, AL and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntsville | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.9 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 83.9 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntsville, AL → Portland, ME
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.6%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$919/yr.
39 Weak offer
Portland, ME → Huntsville, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$919/yr.
98 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Huntsville, AL is in the Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Huntsville, AL to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntsville, AL | Portland, ME | Real change, Huntsville → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,279 | $69,905 | −0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,772 | $84,579 | −0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,216 | $101,375 | −0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,847 | $120,548 | −0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,987 | $142,452 | −0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntsville, AL | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Huntsville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,250 | $76,770 | $70,148 (+12.7%) |
| Software Developers | $128,080 | $128,710 | $117,608 (−8.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,220 | $79,790 | $72,908 (−8.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,090 | $88,470 | $80,839 (+4.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.