City comparison
Portland, OR vs Wichita, KS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 18.5% higher than in Wichita, KS. Someone earning $100,000 in Wichita, KS would need about $118,500 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 $849 in Wichita, KS. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 14% in Wichita, KS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,140 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Wichita, KS.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.2% moving from Portland, OR to Wichita, KS ($114,684 → $106,437), while prices change by −15.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.0% in real buying power.
- Portland, OR: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Wichita, KS: price level 88.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Portland, OR | Wichita, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 88.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $84,372 in Wichita | $118,522 in Portland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,677/mo | $849/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $4,780 (KS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,690 | $47,630 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA and Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA and Wichita, KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Portland | Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 66.2 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 94.0 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 100.1 | 93.8 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 88.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Portland, OR → Wichita, KS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +18.5%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$3,140/yr.
100 Strong offer
Wichita, KS → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.6%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$3,140/yr.
33 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Portland, OR is in the Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA pay area; Wichita, KS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Portland, OR to Wichita, KS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Portland, OR | Wichita, KS | Real change, Portland → Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $66,505 | $61,722 | +10.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $80,465 | $74,678 | +10.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $96,443 | $89,508 | +10.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $114,684 | $106,437 | +10.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $135,522 | $125,776 | +10.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Portland, OR | Wichita, KS | Wichita pay in Portland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $82,330 | $58,640 | $69,502 (−15.6%) |
| Software Developers | $156,000 | $105,980 | $125,610 (−19.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,200 | $79,270 | $93,953 (+1.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $130,310 | $76,540 | $90,717 (−30.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.