City comparison
Portland, OR vs Reading, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 8.6% higher than in Reading, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Reading, PA would need about $108,600 in Portland, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,677 a month in Portland, OR versus $1,237 in Reading, PA. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 20% in Reading, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,850 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Reading, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.3% moving from Portland, OR to Reading, PA ($114,684 → $117,284), while prices change by −7.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.1% in real buying power.
- Portland, OR: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Reading, PA: price level 97.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Portland, OR | Reading, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 97.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,069 in Reading | $108,614 in Portland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,677/mo | $1,237/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,690 | $49,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA and Reading, PA MSA. Metro areas: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA and Reading, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Portland | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 85.4 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 108.2 |
| Other services | 100.1 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 97.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Portland, OR → Reading, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$4,850/yr.
96 Strong offer
Reading, PA → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.9%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$4,850/yr.
39 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Portland, OR is in the Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA pay area; Reading, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Portland, OR to Reading, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Portland, OR | Reading, PA | Real change, Portland → Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $66,505 | $68,013 | +11.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $80,465 | $82,289 | +11.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $96,443 | $98,630 | +11.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $114,684 | $117,284 | +11.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $135,522 | $138,595 | +11.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Portland, OR | Reading, PA | Reading pay in Portland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $82,330 | $79,860 | $86,739 (+5.4%) |
| Software Developers | $156,000 | $120,920 | $131,336 (−15.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,200 | $75,550 | $82,058 (−11.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $130,310 | $98,470 | $106,952 (−17.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.