City comparison
Nashville, TN vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 9.4% higher than in Nashville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Nashville, TN would need about $109,400 in Portland, OR to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,677 a month in Portland, OR versus $1,578 in Nashville, TN. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 24% in Nashville, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $7,920 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Nashville, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.7% moving from Nashville, TN to Portland, OR ($106,437 → $114,684), while prices change by +9.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.5% in real buying power.
- Nashville, TN: price level 96.3 (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
| Nashville, TN | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.3 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,428 in Portland | $91,384 in Nashville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,578/mo | $1,677/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,390 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Nashville | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 104.6 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 72.0 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 95.1 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 96.3 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Nashville, TN → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.6%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$7,920/yr.
37 Weak offer
Portland, OR → Nashville, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$7,920/yr.
98 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Nashville, TN 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 Nashville, TN to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Nashville, TN | Portland, OR | Real change, Nashville → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $66,505 | −1.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $80,465 | −1.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $96,443 | −1.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $114,684 | −1.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $135,522 | −1.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Nashville, TN | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Nashville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,460 | $82,330 | $75,237 (+22.4%) |
| Software Developers | $126,610 | $156,000 | $142,559 (+12.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,080 | $92,200 | $84,256 (+7.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,040 | $130,310 | $119,083 (+41.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.