City comparison
Portland, OR vs South Bend, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 13.5% higher than in South Bend, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in South Bend, IN would need about $113,500 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 $1,105 in South Bend, IN. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 17% in South Bend, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,000 a year higher in Portland, OR than in South Bend, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.2% moving from Portland, OR to South Bend, IN ($114,684 → $106,437), while prices change by −11.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.4% in real buying power.
- Portland, OR: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- South Bend, IN: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Portland, OR | South Bend, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,083 in South Bend | $113,529 in Portland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,677/mo | $1,105/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,690 | $46,540 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Portland | South Bend |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 74.6 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 87.7 |
| Other services | 100.1 | 99.2 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Portland, OR → South Bend, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$5,000/yr.
100 Strong offer
South Bend, IN → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.9%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$5,000/yr.
33 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Portland, OR is in the Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA pay area; South Bend, IN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Portland, OR to South Bend, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Portland, OR | South Bend, IN | Real change, Portland → South Bend |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $66,505 | $61,722 | +5.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $80,465 | $74,678 | +5.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $96,443 | $89,508 | +5.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $114,684 | $106,437 | +5.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $135,522 | $125,776 | +5.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Portland, OR | South Bend, IN | South Bend pay in Portland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $82,330 | $58,180 | $66,051 (−19.8%) |
| Software Developers | $156,000 | $95,500 | $108,420 (−30.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,200 | $77,940 | $88,485 (−4.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $130,310 | $93,540 | $106,195 (−18.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.