City comparison
New Haven, CT vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in New Haven, CT are 2.7% higher than in Portland, ME. Someone earning $100,000 in Portland, ME would need about $102,700 in New Haven, CT to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,591 a month in New Haven, CT and $1,658 in Portland, ME.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,729 a year higher in Portland, ME than in New Haven, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.9% moving from New Haven, CT to Portland, ME ($125,431 → $120,548), while prices change by −2.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.3% in real buying power.
- New Haven, CT: price level 104.6 (pricier)
- 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
| New Haven, CT | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.6 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,417 in Portland | $102,652 in New Haven |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,591/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,060 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: New Haven, CT MSA and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: New Haven, CT and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | New Haven | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 124.3 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 144.8 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 104.6 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
New Haven, CT → Portland, ME
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.7%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$1,729/yr.
74 Strong offer
Portland, ME → New Haven, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.6%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$1,729/yr.
60 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
New Haven, CT is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from New Haven, CT to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | New Haven, CT | Portland, ME | Real change, New Haven → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $69,905 | −1.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $84,579 | −1.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $101,375 | −1.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $120,548 | −1.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $142,452 | −1.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | New Haven, CT | Portland, ME | Portland pay in New Haven dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,820 | $76,770 | $78,806 (−1.3%) |
| Software Developers | $133,040 | $128,710 | $132,123 (−0.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $94,960 | $79,790 | $81,906 (−13.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $104,490 | $88,470 | $90,816 (−13.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.