City comparison
Portland, ME vs Sacramento, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Sacramento, CA are 4.7% higher than in Portland, ME. Someone earning $100,000 in Portland, ME would need about $104,700 in Sacramento, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,832 a month in Sacramento, CA versus $1,658 in Portland, ME. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Sacramento, CA and 27% in Portland, ME.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $584 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Sacramento, CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.1% moving from Portland, ME to Sacramento, CA ($120,548 → $117,984), while prices change by +4.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.5% in real buying power.
- Portland, ME: price level 101.9 (about average)
- Sacramento, CA: price level 106.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Portland, ME | Sacramento, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.9 | 106.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,724 in Sacramento | $95,489 in Portland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,658/mo | $1,832/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% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,960 | $59,750 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV |
Rent areas: Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area and Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Portland-South Portland, ME and Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Portland | Sacramento |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.2 | 130.2 |
| Goods | 97.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 134.6 | 151.3 |
| Other services | 103.2 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 101.9 | 106.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Portland, ME → Sacramento, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.5%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax −$584/yr.
48 Fair offer
Sacramento, CA → Portland, ME
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.7%; 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; Sacramento, CA is in Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Portland, ME to Sacramento, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Portland, ME | Sacramento, CA | Real change, Portland → Sacramento |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $68,419 | −6.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $82,780 | −6.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $99,218 | −6.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $117,984 | −6.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $139,422 | −6.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Portland, ME | Sacramento, CA | Sacramento pay in Portland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,770 | $103,390 | $98,726 (+28.6%) |
| Software Developers | $128,710 | $139,640 | $133,341 (+3.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,790 | $92,110 | $87,955 (+10.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $88,470 | $171,460 | $163,725 (+85.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.