City comparison
Philadelphia, PA vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Philadelphia, PA (102.6) and Portland, ME (101.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Philadelphia, PA goes as far as $99,300 in Portland, ME.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,658 a month in Portland, ME versus $1,520 in Philadelphia, PA. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 24% in Philadelphia, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,584 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Philadelphia, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.8% moving from Philadelphia, PA to Portland, ME ($117,284 → $120,548), while prices change by −0.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.5% in real buying power.
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (pricier)
- 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
| Philadelphia, PA | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.6 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,321 in Portland | $100,683 in Philadelphia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,520/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,310 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Philadelphia | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 113.1 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 114.4 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 103.1 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 102.6 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Philadelphia, PA → Portland, ME
Roughly even
Buying power +0.7%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$2,584/yr.
68 Fair offer
Portland, ME → Philadelphia, PA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.7%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$2,584/yr.
67 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Philadelphia, PA is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Philadelphia, PA to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Philadelphia, PA | Portland, ME | Real change, Philadelphia → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $69,905 | +3.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $84,579 | +3.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $101,375 | +3.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $120,548 | +3.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $142,452 | +3.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Philadelphia, PA | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Philadelphia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,570 | $76,770 | $77,295 (−1.6%) |
| Software Developers | $133,040 | $128,710 | $129,589 (−2.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,990 | $79,790 | $80,335 (−6.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,180 | $88,470 | $89,075 (−12.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.