CostIndexUSA

Mount Vernon, WA vs Portland, ME Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostWA
Mount Vernon
102.4
overall index
$2,125/mo rent
ME
Portland
101.9
overall index
$2,200/mo rent

Mount Vernon and Portland have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing2.8%
Mount Vernon
108.2
Portland
105.2
🛒 Groceries7.4%
Mount Vernon
105
Portland
97.2
🚗 Transportation+3.8%
Mount Vernon
104.4
Portland
108.4
🏥 Healthcare+3.7%
Mount Vernon
94.5
Portland
98
Utilities+40.2%
Mount Vernon
96
Portland
134.6

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Mount Vernon to see what you'd need to earn in Portland to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Portland, ME
$79,600
$400 less needed in Portland

Formula: salary × (101.9 ÷ 102.4) = salary × 0.9951. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Mount Vernon, WA

Median Home Price
$567,000
Median Monthly Rent
$2,125
Housing Index
108.2
Price-to-Rent Ratio
22.2×

Portland, ME

Median Home Price
$516,000
Median Monthly Rent
$2,200
Housing Index
105.2
Price-to-Rent Ratio
19.5×

Mount Vernon has 2.8% lower housing costs compared to Portland.

Income & Job Market

Mount Vernon, WA

Median Household Income
$91,200
Per Capita Income
$52,000
Unemployment Rate
4.4%
Population
36,727
Top Industries
AgricultureHealthcareManufacturingRetailTourism

Portland, ME

Median Household Income
$92,100
Per Capita Income
$52,500
Unemployment Rate
2.4%
Population
68,408
Top Industries
HealthcareEducationTourismFinanceTechnology

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Mount Vernon, WA
3.6×income-to-rent ratio

72% of income left after rent (median)

Portland, ME
3.5×income-to-rent ratio

71% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.