City comparison
Ogden, UT vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 1.5% higher than in Ogden, UT. Someone earning $100,000 in Ogden, UT would need about $101,500 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 $1,281 in Ogden, UT. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 20% in Ogden, UT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,120 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Ogden, UT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Ogden, UT to Portland, ME ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +1.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.6% in real buying power.
- Ogden, UT: price level 100.3 (about average)
- 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
| Ogden, UT | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,504 in Portland | $98,519 in Ogden |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,281/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,646 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,534 (UT) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,900 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Ogden, UT MSA and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Ogden, UT and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ogden | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 117.9 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 78.8 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ogden, UT → Portland, ME
Roughly even
Buying power −1.5%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$2,120/yr.
61 Fair offer
Portland, ME → Ogden, UT
Roughly even
Buying power +1.5%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$2,120/yr.
73 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ogden, UT is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Ogden, UT to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ogden, UT | Portland, ME | Real change, Ogden → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | +11.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | +11.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | +11.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | +11.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | +11.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ogden, UT | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Ogden dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,910 | $76,770 | $75,633 (+18.3%) |
| Software Developers | $109,880 | $128,710 | $126,803 (+15.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,010 | $79,790 | $78,608 (−4.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,840 | $88,470 | $87,159 (+6.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.