Relocation: Portland Metro, ME to Houston-Pasadena, TX
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 Portland-South Portland, ME to Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX.
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.
Portland-South Portland, ME
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX
Itemized Cost of Living Expenditure Arbitrage
Category-by-category breakdown of monthly baseline consumption between origin and destination.
| Expenditure Category | Portland-South Portland (Monthly) | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands (Monthly) | Monthly Delta ($) | Difference (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (1BR Fair Market Rent) | $1,864 | $1,261 | -$603 | -32.3% |
| Food & Groceries | $403 | $321 | -$82 | -20.3% |
| Transportation | $1,069 | $1,015 | -$54 | -5.1% |
| Healthcare | $518 | $422 | -$96 | -18.5% |
| Other Necessities | $553 | $480 | -$73 | -13.2% |
| Total Taxes (Federal, State, Local, FICA) | $2,162 | $1,735 | -$427 | -19.8% |
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 | Portland-South Portland Median | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands Median | Nominal Wage Delta | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $105,390 | $119,600 | +$14,210 (+13.5%) | View Dossier |
| Registered Nurse (RN)Healthcare | Healthcare | $88,470 | $99,830 | +$11,360 (+12.8%) | View Dossier |
| Project Management SpecialistBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $105,530 | $99,510 | -$6,020 (-5.7%) | View Dossier |
| Accountant & AuditorFinance | Finance | $79,790 | $85,090 | +$5,300 (+6.6%) | View Dossier |
| Software EngineerTechnology | Technology | $128,710 | $129,440 | +$730 (+0.6%) | View Dossier |
| ElectricianSkilled Trades | Skilled Trades | $71,660 | $59,180 | -$12,480 (-17.4%) | View Dossier |
| Financial ManagerFinance | Finance | $138,590 | $166,910 | +$28,320 (+20.4%) | View Dossier |
| Industrial Machinery MechanicIndustrial Manufacturing | Industrial Manufacturing | $75,460 | $63,180 | -$12,280 (-16.3%) | View Dossier |
| Quality Control InspectorIndustrial Manufacturing | Industrial Manufacturing | $60,860 | $46,630 | -$14,230 (-23.4%) | View Dossier |
| Construction ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $117,260 | $103,530 | -$13,730 (-11.7%) | View Dossier |
| WelderSkilled Trades | Skilled Trades | $66,420 | $57,940 | -$8,480 (-12.8%) | View Dossier |
| Sales ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $174,990 | $135,880 | -$39,110 (-22.3%) | 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
Portland-South Portland, ME to Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX Relocation FAQs
About $82,300. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (130.5 in Portland-South Portland, ME, 107.4 in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
Portland-South Portland, ME to Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX: State Paychecks, Rents & Reciprocal Corridor
Portland-South Portland, ME to Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX: 2026 federal, state & local income tax, HUD Fair Market Rents & EPI living costs compared on. Official 2026 economic data for Relocation: Portland Metro, ME to Houston-Pasadena, TX compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.
Quick answers
About $82,300. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (130.5 in Portland-South Portland, ME, 107.4 in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
EPI's family budgets for a single adult put overall living costs 17.7% lower in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX than in Portland-South Portland, ME. The budgets cover housing, food, transportation, health care and other necessities.