City comparison
Baton Rouge, LA vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 14.2% higher than in Baton Rouge, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Baton Rouge, LA would need about $114,200 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,201 a month in Salem, OR versus $1,064 in Baton Rouge, LA. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Salem, OR and 17% in Baton Rouge, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,307 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Baton Rouge, LA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.7% moving from Baton Rouge, LA to Salem, OR ($106,437 → $114,684), while prices change by +14.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.6% in real buying power.
- Baton Rouge, LA: price level 90.8 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Baton Rouge, LA | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.8 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $114,176 in Salem | $87,584 in Baton Rouge |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,064/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,566 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,614 (LA) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,710 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Baton Rouge, LA HUD Metro FMR Area and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Baton Rouge, LA and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baton Rouge | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.2 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 71.2 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 95.7 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 90.8 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baton Rouge, LA → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.4%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$5,307/yr.
38 Weak offer
Salem, OR → Baton Rouge, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$5,307/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baton Rouge, LA is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Salem, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Baton Rouge, LA to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baton Rouge, LA | Salem, OR | Real change, Baton Rouge → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $66,505 | −5.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $80,465 | −5.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $96,443 | −5.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $114,684 | −5.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $135,522 | −5.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baton Rouge, LA | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Baton Rouge dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,310 | $74,810 | $65,522 (+10.5%) |
| Software Developers | $101,900 | $131,620 | $115,278 (+13.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,070 | $87,480 | $76,619 (+4.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,130 | $131,750 | $115,392 (+42.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.