City comparison
Portland, ME vs Seattle, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Seattle, WA are 9.1% higher than in Portland, ME. Someone earning $100,000 in Portland, ME would need about $109,100 in Seattle, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,146 a month in Seattle, WA versus $1,658 in Portland, ME. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Seattle, WA and 27% in Portland, ME.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,654 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Seattle, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.8% moving from Portland, ME to Seattle, WA ($120,548 → $119,630), while prices change by +9.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.0% in real buying power.
- Portland, ME: price level 101.9 (about average)
- Seattle, WA: price level 111.1 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Portland, ME | Seattle, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.9 | 111.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,106 in Seattle | $91,654 in Portland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,658/mo | $2,146/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,526 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,654 (ME) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,960 | $72,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Seattle-Tacoma, WA |
Rent areas: Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area and Seattle-Bellevue, WA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Portland-South Portland, ME and Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Portland | Seattle |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.2 | 151.3 |
| Goods | 97.2 | 104.0 |
| Utilities | 134.6 | 92.8 |
| Other services | 103.2 | 106.8 |
| Overall | 101.9 | 111.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Portland, ME → Seattle, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.3%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax −$5,654/yr.
31 Weak offer
Seattle, WA → Portland, ME
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.1%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$5,654/yr.
94 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Portland, ME is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Seattle, WA is in Seattle-Tacoma, WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Portland, ME to Seattle, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Portland, ME | Seattle, WA | Real change, Portland → Seattle |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $69,373 | −9.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $83,935 | −9.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $100,602 | −9.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $119,630 | −9.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $141,367 | −9.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Portland, ME | Seattle, WA | Seattle pay in Portland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,770 | $102,920 | $94,330 (+22.9%) |
| Software Developers | $128,710 | $167,280 | $153,319 (+19.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,790 | $99,370 | $91,077 (+14.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $88,470 | $128,260 | $117,556 (+32.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.