City comparison
Olympia, WA vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 1.7% higher than in Olympia, WA. Someone earning $100,000 in Olympia, WA would need about $101,700 in Portland, OR to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,682 a month in Olympia, WA and $1,677 in Portland, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $7,920 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Olympia, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.1% moving from Olympia, WA to Portland, OR ($119,630 → $114,684), while prices change by +1.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.7% in real buying power.
- Olympia, WA: price level 103.7 (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
| Olympia, WA | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.7 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,689 in Portland | $98,339 in Olympia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,682/mo | $1,677/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $61,960 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA MSA and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Olympia | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 116.7 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 91.7 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 103.7 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Olympia, WA → Portland, OR
Roughly even
Buying power −1.7%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$7,920/yr.
59 Fair offer
Portland, OR → Olympia, WA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.7%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$7,920/yr.
73 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Olympia, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Portland, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Olympia, WA to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Olympia, WA | Portland, OR | Real change, Olympia → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $66,505 | −5.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $80,465 | −5.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $96,443 | −5.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $114,684 | −5.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $135,522 | −5.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Olympia, WA | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Olympia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $104,650 | $82,330 | $80,963 (−22.6%) |
| Software Developers | $124,060 | $156,000 | $153,409 (+23.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $94,470 | $92,200 | $90,669 (−4.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,020 | $130,310 | $128,146 (+2.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.