City comparison
Portland, OR vs Toledo, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 15.3% higher than in Toledo, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Toledo, OH would need about $115,300 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 $820 in Toledo, OH. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 13% in Toledo, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,953 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Toledo, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.2% moving from Portland, OR to Toledo, OH ($114,684 → $106,437), while prices change by −13.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.0% in real buying power.
- Portland, OR: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Toledo, OH: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Portland, OR | Toledo, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 91.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $86,752 in Toledo | $115,271 in Portland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,677/mo | $820/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,690 | $48,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA and Toledo, OH MSA. Metro areas: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA and Toledo, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Portland | Toledo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 67.3 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 100.1 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 91.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Portland, OR → Toledo, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.3%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$5,953/yr.
100 Strong offer
Toledo, OH → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.2%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$5,953/yr.
33 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Portland, OR is in the Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA pay area; Toledo, OH is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Portland, OR to Toledo, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Portland, OR | Toledo, OH | Real change, Portland → Toledo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $66,505 | $61,722 | +7.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $80,465 | $74,678 | +7.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $96,443 | $89,508 | +7.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $114,684 | $106,437 | +7.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $135,522 | $125,776 | +7.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Portland, OR | Toledo, OH | Toledo pay in Portland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $82,330 | $63,250 | $72,909 (−11.4%) |
| Software Developers | $156,000 | $104,360 | $120,297 (−22.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,200 | $77,400 | $89,220 (−3.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $130,310 | $81,050 | $93,427 (−28.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.