Salary comparison
Waiters and Waitresses: Mount Vernon vs Portland
Portland, OR pays about 3.2% more for waiters and waitresses on paper — $54,780 vs $53,060. But once you factor in what it costs to live there, Portland comes out ahead by $1,720 a year in real buying power.
Mount Vernon, WA
$53,060
$45,740
$66,240
$25.51
100
$53,060/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
Portland, OR
$54,780
$37,150
$72,170
$26.34
100
$54,780/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
What the numbers mean in practice
The headline gap is $1,720 a year (3.2%) in favor of Portland. That is the raw salary difference before any living costs.
Mount Vernon runs a cost index of 100 against the national baseline of 100; Portland sits at 100. After adjusting the median for those costs, Portland is the better deal by $1,720 a year — that is what each paycheck actually buys locally.
If you are weighing a move from Mount Vernon to Portland for this role, the raise needs to beat 3.2% to come out ahead after living costs. Anything below that and you are earning more on paper but keeping less.
Common questions
Where do waiters and waitresses earn more, Mount Vernon or Portland?
Portland pays $54,780 on median — about 3.2% more than Mount Vernon ($53,060). Based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Which city is the better deal after living costs?
Portland. Once you divide each median by the local cost index, Portland gives you roughly$54,780 of real buying power versus $53,060 in the other city.