City comparison
Portland, OR vs Vallejo, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Vallejo, CA are 2.9% higher than in Portland, OR. Someone earning $100,000 in Portland, OR would need about $102,900 in Vallejo, CA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,677 a month in Portland, OR and $1,705 in Vallejo, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,850 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Vallejo, CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +16.0% moving from Portland, OR to Vallejo, CA ($114,684 → $133,060), while prices change by +2.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +12.8% in real buying power.
- Portland, OR: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Vallejo, CA: price level 108.5 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Portland, OR | Vallejo, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 108.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,901 in Vallejo | $97,181 in Portland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,677/mo | $1,705/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,690 | $58,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA and Vallejo, CA MSA. Metro areas: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA and Vallejo, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Portland | Vallejo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 142.0 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 100.1 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 108.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Portland, OR → Vallejo, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.8%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax −$2,850/yr.
56 Fair offer
Vallejo, CA → Portland, OR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.9%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$2,850/yr.
73 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Portland, OR is in the Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA pay area; Vallejo, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Portland, OR to Vallejo, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Portland, OR | Vallejo, CA | Real change, Portland → Vallejo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $66,505 | $77,161 | +12.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $80,465 | $93,358 | +12.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $96,443 | $111,896 | +12.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $114,684 | $133,060 | +12.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $135,522 | $157,236 | +12.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Portland, OR | Vallejo, CA | Vallejo pay in Portland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | not published | $137,160 | — |
| Software Developers | $156,000 | $136,930 | $133,070 (−14.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,200 | $95,800 | $93,099 (+1.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $130,310 | $203,290 | $197,559 (+51.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.