City comparison
Portland, ME vs Raleigh, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 3.8% higher than in Raleigh, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Raleigh, NC would need about $103,800 in Portland, ME to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,658 a month in Portland, ME and $1,596 in Raleigh, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,173 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Raleigh, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.8% moving from Portland, ME to Raleigh, NC ($120,548 → $111,147), while prices change by −3.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.3% in real buying power.
- Portland, ME: price level 101.9 (about average)
- Raleigh, NC: 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 | Raleigh, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.9 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,367 in Raleigh | $103,770 in Portland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,658/mo | $1,596/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,526 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,654 (ME) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,960 | $51,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area and Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA. Metro areas: Portland-South Portland, ME and Raleigh-Cary, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Portland | Raleigh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.2 | 103.5 |
| Goods | 97.2 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 134.6 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 103.2 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 101.9 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Portland, ME → Raleigh, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.8%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$2,173/yr.
80 Strong offer
Raleigh, NC → Portland, ME
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.6%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$2,173/yr.
54 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Portland, ME is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Raleigh, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Portland, ME to Raleigh, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Portland, ME | Raleigh, NC | Real change, Portland → Raleigh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $64,453 | −4.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $77,983 | −4.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $93,468 | −4.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $111,147 | −4.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $131,342 | −4.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Portland, ME | Raleigh, NC | Raleigh pay in Portland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,770 | $60,170 | $62,439 (−18.7%) |
| Software Developers | $128,710 | $132,770 | $137,776 (+7.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,790 | $81,950 | $85,040 (+6.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $88,470 | $84,830 | $88,029 (−0.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.