City comparison
Palm Bay, FL vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 5.4% higher than in Palm Bay, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Palm Bay, FL would need about $105,400 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 $1,478 in Palm Bay, FL. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 22% in Palm Bay, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $7,920 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Palm Bay, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.0% moving from Palm Bay, FL to Portland, OR ($107,228 → $114,684), while prices change by +5.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.5% in real buying power.
- Palm Bay, FL: price level 100.0 (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
| Palm Bay, FL | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.0 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,416 in Portland | $94,863 in Palm Bay |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,478/mo | $1,677/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,030 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL MSA and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Palm Bay | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.7 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 88.1 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 100.0 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Palm Bay, FL → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.1%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$7,920/yr.
48 Fair offer
Portland, OR → Palm Bay, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.4%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$7,920/yr.
86 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Palm Bay, FL is in the Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL pay area; Portland, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Palm Bay, FL to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Palm Bay, FL | Portland, OR | Real change, Palm Bay → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,181 | $66,505 | +1.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,233 | $80,465 | +1.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,173 | $96,443 | +1.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,228 | $114,684 | +1.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,711 | $135,522 | +1.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Palm Bay, FL | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Palm Bay dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,510 | $82,330 | $78,100 (+24.9%) |
| Software Developers | $131,760 | $156,000 | $147,986 (+12.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,860 | $92,200 | $87,463 (+15.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,900 | $130,310 | $123,615 (+52.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.