City comparison
Portland, ME vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 5.1% higher than in Tucson, AZ. Someone earning $100,000 in Tucson, AZ would need about $105,100 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 $1,081 in Tucson, AZ. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 17% in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,363 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Tucson, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.0% moving from Portland, ME to Tucson, AZ ($120,548 → $108,455), while prices change by −4.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.4% in real buying power.
- Portland, ME: price level 101.9 (about average)
- Tucson, AZ: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Portland, ME | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.9 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,129 in Tucson | $105,121 in Portland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,658/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,526 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,654 (ME) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,960 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Portland-South Portland, ME and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Portland | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.2 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 97.2 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 134.6 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 103.2 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 101.9 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Portland, ME → Tucson, AZ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$3,363/yr.
85 Strong offer
Tucson, AZ → Portland, ME
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.9%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$3,363/yr.
50 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Portland, ME is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Portland, ME to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Portland, ME | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Portland → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $62,893 | −5.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $76,095 | −5.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $91,205 | −5.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $108,455 | −5.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $128,162 | −5.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Portland, ME | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Portland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,770 | $47,220 | $49,638 (−35.3%) |
| Software Developers | $128,710 | $123,710 | $130,045 (+1.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,790 | $76,320 | $80,228 (+0.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $88,470 | $94,110 | $98,929 (+11.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.