City comparison
Portland, ME vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 6.0% higher than in Springfield, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MA would need about $106,000 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 $1,382 in Springfield, MA. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 22% in Springfield, MA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $874 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Springfield, MA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.4% moving from Portland, ME to Springfield, MA ($120,548 → $120,094), while prices change by −5.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.6% in real buying power.
- Portland, ME: price level 101.9 (about average)
- Springfield, MA: price level 96.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Portland, ME | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.9 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,309 in Springfield | $106,035 in Portland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,658/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,526 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,654 (ME) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,960 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Portland-South Portland, ME and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Portland | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.2 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 97.2 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 134.6 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 103.2 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 101.9 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Portland, ME → Springfield, MA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.0%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$874/yr.
88 Strong offer
Springfield, MA → Portland, ME
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.7%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$874/yr.
48 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Portland, ME is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Portland, ME to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Portland, ME | Springfield, MA | Real change, Portland → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $69,642 | +5.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $84,260 | +5.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $100,992 | +5.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $120,094 | +5.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $141,915 | +5.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Portland, ME | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Portland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,770 | $79,640 | $84,446 (+10.0%) |
| Software Developers | $128,710 | $127,740 | $135,449 (+5.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,790 | $92,010 | $97,563 (+22.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $88,470 | $98,410 | $104,349 (+17.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.