City comparison
Boise City, ID vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 5.3% higher than in Boise City, ID. Someone earning $100,000 in Boise City, ID would need about $105,300 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,381 a month in Boise City, ID versus $1,201 in Salem, OR. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Boise City, ID and 20% in Salem, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,729 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Boise City, ID.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.7% moving from Boise City, ID to Salem, OR ($106,437 → $114,684), while prices change by +5.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.3% in real buying power.
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (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
| Boise City, ID | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.4 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,344 in Salem | $94,927 in Boise City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,381/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,988 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,192 (ID) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,100 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Boise City, ID and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boise City | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.6 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 70.7 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 98.4 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boise City, ID → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,729/yr.
53 Fair offer
Salem, OR → Boise City, ID
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$3,729/yr.
85 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boise City, ID 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 Boise City, ID to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boise City, ID | Salem, OR | Real change, Boise City → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $66,505 | +2.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $80,465 | +2.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $96,443 | +2.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $114,684 | +2.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $135,522 | +2.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boise City, ID | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Boise City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,230 | $74,810 | $71,015 (+16.0%) |
| Software Developers | $131,590 | $131,620 | $124,943 (−5.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,700 | $87,480 | $83,042 (+8.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,880 | $131,750 | $125,066 (+27.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.