City comparison
Milwaukee, WI vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 5.1% higher than in Milwaukee, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Milwaukee, WI would need about $105,100 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 $1,119 in Milwaukee, WI. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 18% in Milwaukee, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,735 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Milwaukee, WI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.3% moving from Milwaukee, WI to Portland, ME ($111,310 → $120,548), while prices change by +5.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.1% in real buying power.
- Milwaukee, WI: price level 96.9 (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
| Milwaukee, WI | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.9 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,076 in Portland | $95,169 in Milwaukee |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,119/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,160 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Milwaukee | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.1 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 91.6 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 96.9 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Milwaukee, WI → Portland, ME
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.8%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$1,735/yr.
51 Fair offer
Portland, ME → Milwaukee, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,735/yr.
85 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Milwaukee, WI is in the Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Milwaukee, WI to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Milwaukee, WI | Portland, ME | Real change, Milwaukee → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,548 | $69,905 | +3.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,098 | $84,579 | +3.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,606 | $101,375 | +3.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,310 | $120,548 | +3.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,535 | $142,452 | +3.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Milwaukee, WI | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Milwaukee dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,480 | $76,770 | $73,061 (+18.8%) |
| Software Developers | $123,730 | $128,710 | $122,492 (−1.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,290 | $79,790 | $75,935 (−5.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,360 | $88,470 | $84,196 (−13.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.