Relocation: Houston-Pasadena, TX to Portland Metro, ME
Data updated · Sources: HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology
Income tax, HUD Fair Market Rents and EPI living costs for a move from Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX to Portland-South Portland, ME.
Interactive Purchasing Power Equivalency Workbench
Adjust your current salary at origin to dynamically compute the statutory tax burden, housing costs, and discretionary cash in both markets.
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX
Portland-South Portland, ME
Itemized Cost of Living Expenditure Arbitrage
Category-by-category breakdown of monthly baseline consumption between origin and destination.
| Expenditure Category | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands (Monthly) | Portland-South Portland (Monthly) | Monthly Delta ($) | Difference (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (1BR Fair Market Rent) | $1,261 | $1,864 | +$603 | +47.8% |
| Food & Groceries | $321 | $403 | +$82 | +25.5% |
| Transportation | $1,015 | $1,069 | +$54 | +5.3% |
| Healthcare | $422 | $518 | +$96 | +22.7% |
| Other Necessities | $480 | $553 | +$73 | +15.2% |
| Total Taxes (Federal, State, Local, FICA) | $1,735 | $2,162 | +$427 | +24.6% |
HUD Fair Market Rent Differential
EPI Living Wage Benchmark Comparison
Top Local Occupations Wage Parity
BLS median wage comparisons across benchmark roles between both metropolitan labor markets.
| Occupation Title | Industry Sector | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands Median | Portland-South Portland Median | Nominal Wage Delta | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $119,600 | $105,390 | -$14,210 (-11.9%) | View Dossier |
| Registered Nurse (RN)Healthcare | Healthcare | $99,830 | $88,470 | -$11,360 (-11.4%) | View Dossier |
| Project Management SpecialistBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $99,510 | $105,530 | +$6,020 (+6.0%) | View Dossier |
| Accountant & AuditorFinance | Finance | $85,090 | $79,790 | -$5,300 (-6.2%) | View Dossier |
| Software EngineerTechnology | Technology | $129,440 | $128,710 | -$730 (-0.6%) | View Dossier |
| ElectricianSkilled Trades | Skilled Trades | $59,180 | $71,660 | +$12,480 (+21.1%) | View Dossier |
| Financial ManagerFinance | Finance | $166,910 | $138,590 | -$28,320 (-17.0%) | View Dossier |
| Industrial Machinery MechanicIndustrial Manufacturing | Industrial Manufacturing | $63,180 | $75,460 | +$12,280 (+19.4%) | View Dossier |
| Quality Control InspectorIndustrial Manufacturing | Industrial Manufacturing | $46,630 | $60,860 | +$14,230 (+30.5%) | View Dossier |
| Construction ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $103,530 | $117,260 | +$13,730 (+13.3%) | View Dossier |
| WelderSkilled Trades | Skilled Trades | $57,940 | $66,420 | +$8,480 (+14.6%) | View Dossier |
| Sales ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $135,880 | $174,990 | +$39,110 (+28.8%) | View Dossier |
Major US Inter-Metro Relocation Corridors
Empirical cost differentials and statutory tax savings across high-volume migration routes.
On $100k: $8,301 less tax and $14,388 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $6,211 less tax and $17,676 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $4,805 less tax and $2,928 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $1,729 less tax and $19,884 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $4,113 less tax and $10,908 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $3,761 more tax and $4,188 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $1,299 less tax and $11,592 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $8,301 less tax and $7,296 less 1BR rent a year
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX to Portland-South Portland, ME Relocation FAQs
About $121,600. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (107.4 in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX, 130.5 in Portland-South Portland, ME, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX to Portland-South Portland, ME: State Paychecks, Rents & Reciprocal Corridor
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX to Portland-South Portland, ME: 2026 federal, state & local income tax, HUD Fair Market Rents & EPI living costs compared on. Official 2026 economic data for Relocation: Houston-Pasadena, TX to Portland Metro, ME compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.
Quick answers
About $121,600. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (107.4 in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX, 130.5 in Portland-South Portland, ME, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
EPI's family budgets for a single adult put overall living costs 21.6% higher in Portland-South Portland, ME than in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX. The budgets cover housing, food, transportation, health care and other necessities.