City comparison
Pittsburgh, PA vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 7.6% higher than in Pittsburgh, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Pittsburgh, PA would need about $107,600 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 $1,077 in Pittsburgh, PA. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 17% in Pittsburgh, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,584 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Pittsburgh, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.5% moving from Pittsburgh, PA to Portland, ME ($110,047 → $120,548), while prices change by +7.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.8% in real buying power.
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (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
| Pittsburgh, PA | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.7 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,592 in Portland | $92,944 in Pittsburgh |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,077/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 | 17% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,650 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Pittsburgh, PA and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Pittsburgh | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.0 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 107.7 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 94.7 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Pittsburgh, PA → Portland, ME
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.1%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$2,584/yr.
44 Weak offer
Portland, ME → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,584/yr.
92 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Pittsburgh, PA is in the Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Pittsburgh, PA to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Pittsburgh, PA | Portland, ME | Real change, Pittsburgh → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,815 | $69,905 | +1.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,211 | $84,579 | +1.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,543 | $101,375 | +1.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,047 | $120,548 | +1.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,042 | $142,452 | +1.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Pittsburgh, PA | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Pittsburgh dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,550 | $76,770 | $71,353 (−6.8%) |
| Software Developers | $124,500 | $128,710 | $119,628 (−3.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,940 | $79,790 | $74,160 (−3.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,370 | $88,470 | $82,228 (−0.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.