City comparison
Albany, NY vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 4.1% higher than in Albany, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Albany, NY would need about $104,100 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,417 a month in Albany, NY versus $1,201 in Salem, OR. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Albany, NY and 20% in Salem, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,061 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Albany, NY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Albany, NY to Salem, OR ($109,810 → $114,684), while prices change by +4.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.3% in real buying power.
- Albany, NY: price level 99.6 (about average)
- Salem, OR: price level 103.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albany, NY | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.6 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,101 in Salem | $96,061 in Albany |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,417/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,460 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albany | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 102.6 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 134.0 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 99.6 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albany, NY → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.9%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,061/yr.
56 Fair offer
Salem, OR → Albany, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.1%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$3,061/yr.
82 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albany, NY is in the Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA pay area; Salem, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Albany, NY to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albany, NY | Salem, OR | Real change, Albany → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,678 | $66,505 | +0.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,045 | $80,465 | +0.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,344 | $96,443 | +0.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,810 | $114,684 | +0.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,763 | $135,522 | +0.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albany, NY | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Albany dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,240 | $74,810 | $71,863 (−9.3%) |
| Software Developers | $127,910 | $131,620 | $126,435 (−1.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,660 | $87,480 | $84,034 (−0.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,970 | $131,750 | $126,560 (+26.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.