City comparison
New Haven, CT vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in New Haven, CT (104.6) and Portland, OR (105.4, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in New Haven, CT goes as far as $100,800 in Portland, OR.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,677 a month in Portland, OR versus $1,591 in New Haven, CT. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 25% in New Haven, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,995 a year higher in Portland, OR than in New Haven, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.6% moving from New Haven, CT to Portland, OR ($125,431 → $114,684), while prices change by +0.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.3% in real buying power.
- New Haven, CT: price level 104.6 (pricier)
- 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
| New Haven, CT | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.6 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,824 in Portland | $99,182 in New Haven |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,591/mo | $1,677/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,060 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: New Haven, CT MSA and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: New Haven, CT and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | New Haven | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 124.3 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 144.8 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 104.6 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
New Haven, CT → Portland, OR
Roughly even
Buying power −0.8%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$3,995/yr.
61 Fair offer
Portland, OR → New Haven, CT
Roughly even
Buying power +0.8%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$3,995/yr.
71 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
New Haven, CT is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Portland, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from New Haven, CT to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | New Haven, CT | Portland, OR | Real change, New Haven → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $66,505 | −9.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $80,465 | −9.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $96,443 | −9.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $114,684 | −9.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $135,522 | −9.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | New Haven, CT | Portland, OR | Portland pay in New Haven dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,820 | $82,330 | $81,657 (+2.3%) |
| Software Developers | $133,040 | $156,000 | $154,724 (+16.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $94,960 | $92,200 | $91,446 (−3.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $104,490 | $130,310 | $129,244 (+23.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.