City comparison
Ogden, UT vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 5.1% higher than in Ogden, UT. Someone earning $100,000 in Ogden, UT would need about $105,100 in Portland, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,677 a month in Portland, OR versus $1,281 in Ogden, UT. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 20% in Ogden, UT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,386 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Ogden, UT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.7% moving from Ogden, UT to Portland, OR ($106,437 → $114,684), while prices change by +5.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.6% in real buying power.
- Ogden, UT: price level 100.3 (about average)
- 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
| Ogden, UT | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,054 in Portland | $95,189 in Ogden |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,281/mo | $1,677/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,646 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,534 (UT) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,900 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Ogden, UT MSA and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Ogden, UT and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ogden | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 117.9 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 78.8 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ogden, UT → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.8%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$4,386/yr.
49 Fair offer
Portland, OR → Ogden, UT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$4,386/yr.
85 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ogden, UT 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 Ogden, UT to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ogden, UT | Portland, OR | Real change, Ogden → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $66,505 | +2.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $80,465 | +2.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $96,443 | +2.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $114,684 | +2.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $135,522 | +2.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ogden, UT | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Ogden dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,910 | $82,330 | $78,369 (+22.6%) |
| Software Developers | $109,880 | $156,000 | $148,495 (+35.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,010 | $92,200 | $87,764 (+7.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,840 | $130,310 | $124,041 (+51.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.