$100k salary, packing up from Portland

change
Harrisburg, PA cityscape

swapping out of portland

Harrisburg

pa · metro 606k

a dispatch from

harrisburg

PA

40.26°N

76.88°W

Harrisburg is the Pennsylvania state capital sitting on the Susquehanna River, with a gorgeous Beaux-Arts capitol building (Theodore Roosevelt called it the handsomest building he ever saw). City Island in the middle of the river is a small park with minor league baseball. Hershey is 15 minutes east (yes, that Hershey). Slower-paced than its metro neighbors.

metro606k

01 · the verdict

the verdict

$1,209

below Portland's monthly cost

Harrisburg is the kind of cheap that changes the math. Same salary, a different life on the other side.
landable, recorded on the harrisburg entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,446/mo

37% cheaper than Portland(vs $2,285/mo)

02state income tax

3.07%

$369/mo less in state tax than Portland

vs 7.5% in Portland

03after rent

$6,632/mo

$1,209 more than Portland

gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.

04a house here

$309k

43% cheaper than Portland

vs $543k in Portland

05metro size

606k

vs 566k in Portland

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

152

pleasant days a year, in harrisburg.

Portland only manages 145 of those.

About as much going on as in Portland.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

69/100

3% lower than Portland

vs 71/100 in Portland

Closest outdoor draw: Gifford Pinchot State Park, 12.7 mi.

·walk score®

93/100

5% lower than Portland

vs 98/100 in Portland

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

12

500% more than Portland

vs 2 nonstops in Portland

04 · see also

same energy as harrisburg, different zip code:

compare harrisburg with: