City comparison
Merced, 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 7.3% higher than in Merced, CA. Someone earning $100,000 in Merced, CA would need about $107,300 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 $1,213 in Merced, CA. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 20% in Merced, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,850 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Merced, CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −13.8% moving from Merced, CA to Portland, OR ($133,060 → $114,684), while prices change by +7.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −19.7% in real buying power.
- Merced, CA: price level 98.3 (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
| Merced, CA | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.3 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,271 in Portland | $93,221 in Merced |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,213/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 | 20% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,220 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Merced, CA MSA and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Merced, CA and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Merced | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 78.6 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 158.3 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 98.3 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Merced, CA → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.8%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$2,850/yr.
43 Weak offer
Portland, OR → Merced, CA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.3%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$2,850/yr.
91 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Merced, CA is in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA pay area; Portland, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Merced, CA to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Merced, CA | Portland, OR | Real change, Merced → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $77,161 | $66,505 | −19.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $93,358 | $80,465 | −19.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $111,896 | $96,443 | −19.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $133,060 | $114,684 | −19.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $157,236 | $135,522 | −19.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Merced, CA | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Merced dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $100,120 | $82,330 | $76,749 (−23.3%) |
| Software Developers | $132,120 | $156,000 | $145,425 (+10.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,420 | $92,200 | $85,950 (+6.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $131,620 | $130,310 | $121,477 (−7.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.