City comparison
Portland, ME vs Provo, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 3.7% higher than in Provo, UT. Someone earning $100,000 in Provo, UT would need about $103,700 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 $1,265 in Provo, UT. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 20% in Provo, UT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,120 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Provo, UT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.7% moving from Portland, ME to Provo, UT ($120,548 → $106,437), while prices change by −3.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.4% in real buying power.
- Portland, ME: price level 101.9 (about average)
- Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Portland, ME | Provo, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.9 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,440 in Provo | $103,691 in Portland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,658/mo | $1,265/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,526 | $75,646 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,654 (ME) | $3,534 (UT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,960 | $48,010 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA. Metro areas: Portland-South Portland, ME and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Portland | Provo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.2 | 104.1 |
| Goods | 97.2 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 134.6 | 78.6 |
| Other services | 103.2 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 101.9 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Portland, ME → Provo, UT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$2,120/yr.
80 Strong offer
Provo, UT → Portland, ME
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.6%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$2,120/yr.
55 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Portland, ME is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Provo, UT is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Portland, ME to Provo, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Portland, ME | Provo, UT | Real change, Portland → Provo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $61,722 | −8.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $74,678 | −8.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $89,508 | −8.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $106,437 | −8.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $125,776 | −8.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Portland, ME | Provo, UT | Provo pay in Portland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,770 | $62,930 | $65,253 (−15.0%) |
| Software Developers | $128,710 | $131,210 | $136,053 (+5.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,790 | $75,700 | $78,494 (−1.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $88,470 | $81,780 | $84,799 (−4.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.