City comparison
Lafayette, LA vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 20.9% higher than in Lafayette, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Lafayette, LA would need about $120,900 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 $898 in Lafayette, LA. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 14% in Lafayette, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,307 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Lafayette, LA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.7% moving from Lafayette, LA to Portland, OR ($106,437 → $114,684), while prices change by +20.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −10.9% in real buying power.
- Lafayette, LA: price level 87.2 (much 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
| Lafayette, LA | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 87.2 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $120,883 in Portland | $82,725 in Lafayette |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $898/mo | $1,677/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,566 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,614 (LA) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $41,780 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Lafayette, LA HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Lafayette, LA and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lafayette | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 58.8 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 71.2 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 95.7 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 87.2 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lafayette, LA → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −17.3%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$5,307/yr.
33 Weak offer
Portland, OR → Lafayette, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +20.9%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$5,307/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lafayette, LA 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 Lafayette, LA to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lafayette, LA | Portland, OR | Real change, Lafayette → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $66,505 | −10.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $80,465 | −10.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $96,443 | −10.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $114,684 | −10.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $135,522 | −10.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lafayette, LA | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Lafayette dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $47,770 | $82,330 | $68,107 (+42.6%) |
| Software Developers | $109,010 | $156,000 | $129,050 (+18.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $67,630 | $92,200 | $76,272 (+12.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,960 | $130,310 | $107,798 (+31.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.