City comparison
Omaha, NE vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 10.8% higher than in Omaha, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Omaha, NE would need about $110,800 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 $1,148 in Omaha, NE. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 18% in Omaha, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,984 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Omaha, NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.1% moving from Omaha, NE to Portland, ME ($107,501 → $120,548), while prices change by +10.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.2% in real buying power.
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Omaha, NE | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.9 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,822 in Portland | $90,234 in Omaha |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,148/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,660 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Omaha, NE-IA and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Omaha | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.4 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 76.4 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 91.9 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Omaha, NE → Portland, ME
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.8%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$1,984/yr.
35 Weak offer
Portland, ME → Omaha, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,984/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Omaha, NE is in the Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Omaha, NE to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Omaha, NE | Portland, ME | Real change, Omaha → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,339 | $69,905 | +1.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,425 | $84,579 | +1.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,402 | $101,375 | +1.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,501 | $120,548 | +1.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,033 | $142,452 | +1.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Omaha, NE | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Omaha dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,670 | $76,770 | $69,273 (+10.5%) |
| Software Developers | $125,220 | $128,710 | $116,141 (−7.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,030 | $79,790 | $71,998 (−6.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,600 | $88,470 | $79,830 (−5.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.