City comparison
Portland, ME vs Riverside, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Riverside, CA are 4.5% higher than in Portland, ME. Someone earning $100,000 in Portland, ME would need about $104,500 in Riverside, CA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,777 a month in Riverside, CA versus $1,658 in Portland, ME. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Riverside, CA and 27% in Portland, ME.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $584 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Riverside, CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.9% moving from Portland, ME to Riverside, CA ($120,548 → $124,085), while prices change by +4.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.5% in real buying power.
- Portland, ME: price level 101.9 (about average)
- Riverside, CA: price level 106.4 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Portland, ME | Riverside, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.9 | 106.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,500 in Riverside | $95,693 in Portland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,658/mo | $1,777/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,526 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,654 (ME) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 29% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,960 | $48,400 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area and Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA MSA. Metro areas: Portland-South Portland, ME and Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Portland | Riverside |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.2 | 129.3 |
| Goods | 97.2 | 101.4 |
| Utilities | 134.6 | 148.6 |
| Other services | 103.2 | 101.3 |
| Overall | 101.9 | 106.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Portland, ME → Riverside, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.3%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax −$584/yr.
50 Fair offer
Riverside, CA → Portland, ME
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.5%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$584/yr.
80 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Portland, ME is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Riverside, CA is in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Portland, ME to Riverside, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Portland, ME | Riverside, CA | Real change, Portland → Riverside |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $71,957 | −1.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $87,061 | −1.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $104,349 | −1.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $124,085 | −1.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $146,632 | −1.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Portland, ME | Riverside, CA | Riverside pay in Portland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,770 | $98,520 | $94,277 (+22.8%) |
| Software Developers | $128,710 | $133,270 | $127,531 (−0.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,790 | $83,920 | $80,306 (+0.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $88,470 | $133,940 | $128,172 (+44.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.