City comparison
Kennewick, WA vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 5.3% higher than in Kennewick, WA. Someone earning $100,000 in Kennewick, WA would need about $105,300 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 $1,268 in Kennewick, WA. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 19% in Kennewick, WA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $7,920 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Kennewick, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.7% moving from Kennewick, WA to Portland, OR ($106,437 → $114,684), while prices change by +5.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.3% in real buying power.
- Kennewick, WA: price level 100.1 (about average)
- 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
| Kennewick, WA | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,338 in Portland | $94,933 in Kennewick |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,268/mo | $1,677/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $57,290 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Kennewick-Richland, WA MSA and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Kennewick-Richland, WA and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kennewick | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.8 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 93.6 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kennewick, WA → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.1%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$7,920/yr.
48 Fair offer
Portland, OR → Kennewick, WA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$7,920/yr.
85 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Kennewick, WA 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 Kennewick, WA to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kennewick, WA | Portland, OR | Real change, Kennewick → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $66,505 | +2.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $80,465 | +2.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $96,443 | +2.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $114,684 | +2.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $135,522 | +2.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kennewick, WA | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Kennewick dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $100,380 | $82,330 | $78,158 (−22.1%) |
| Software Developers | $127,800 | $156,000 | $148,095 (+15.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $93,280 | $92,200 | $87,528 (−6.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,410 | $130,310 | $123,707 (+16.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.