City comparison
Portland, ME vs Reading, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 4.9% higher than in Reading, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Reading, PA would need about $104,900 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 $1,237 in Reading, PA. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 20% in Reading, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,584 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Reading, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.7% moving from Portland, ME to Reading, PA ($120,548 → $117,284), while prices change by −4.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.1% in real buying power.
- Portland, ME: price level 101.9 (about average)
- Reading, PA: price level 97.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Portland, ME | Reading, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.9 | 97.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,290 in Reading | $104,943 in Portland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,658/mo | $1,237/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,526 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,654 (ME) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,960 | $49,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area and Reading, PA MSA. Metro areas: Portland-South Portland, ME and Reading, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Portland | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.2 | 85.4 |
| Goods | 97.2 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 134.6 | 108.2 |
| Other services | 103.2 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 101.9 | 97.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Portland, ME → Reading, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.9%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$2,584/yr.
84 Strong offer
Reading, PA → Portland, ME
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.7%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$2,584/yr.
51 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Portland, ME is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Reading, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Portland, ME to Reading, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Portland, ME | Reading, PA | Real change, Portland → Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $68,013 | +2.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $82,289 | +2.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $98,630 | +2.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $117,284 | +2.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $138,595 | +2.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Portland, ME | Reading, PA | Reading pay in Portland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,770 | $79,860 | $83,808 (+9.2%) |
| Software Developers | $128,710 | $120,920 | $126,897 (−1.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,790 | $75,550 | $79,285 (−0.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $88,470 | $98,470 | $103,338 (+16.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.