City comparison
Portland, OR vs Spokane, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 5.1% higher than in Spokane, WA. Someone earning $100,000 in Spokane, WA would need about $105,100 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 $1,193 in Spokane, WA. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 18% in Spokane, WA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $7,920 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Spokane, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.7% moving from Portland, OR to Spokane, WA ($114,684 → $106,991), while prices change by −4.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.0% in real buying power.
- Portland, OR: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Spokane, WA: price level 100.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Portland, OR | Spokane, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 100.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,186 in Spokane | $105,058 in Portland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,677/mo | $1,193/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,690 | $54,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA | Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID |
Rent areas: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA and Spokane, WA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA and Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Portland | Spokane |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 91.2 |
| Other services | 100.1 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 100.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Portland, OR → Spokane, WA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$7,920/yr.
85 Strong offer
Spokane, WA → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.8%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$7,920/yr.
49 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Portland, OR is in the Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA pay area; Spokane, WA is in Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID. The last column shows what a transfer from Portland, OR to Spokane, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Portland, OR | Spokane, WA | Real change, Portland → Spokane |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $66,505 | $62,044 | −2.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $80,465 | $75,068 | −2.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $96,443 | $89,974 | −2.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $114,684 | $106,991 | −2.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $135,522 | $126,432 | −2.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Portland, OR | Spokane, WA | Spokane pay in Portland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $82,330 | $98,800 | $103,797 (+26.1%) |
| Software Developers | $156,000 | $130,690 | $137,300 (−12.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,200 | $86,350 | $90,717 (−1.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $130,310 | $111,750 | $117,402 (−9.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.