City comparison
Charleston, SC vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 2.7% higher than in Charleston, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Charleston, SC would need about $102,700 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,630 a month in Charleston, SC versus $1,201 in Salem, OR. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Charleston, SC and 20% in Salem, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,077 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Charleston, SC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.7% moving from Charleston, SC to Salem, OR ($106,437 → $114,684), while prices change by +2.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.0% in real buying power.
- Charleston, SC: price level 101.0 (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
| Charleston, SC | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,661 in Salem | $97,408 in Charleston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,630/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,150 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charleston | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 119.8 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charleston, SC → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,077/yr.
61 Fair offer
Salem, OR → Charleston, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.7%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$3,077/yr.
75 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Charleston, SC 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 Charleston, SC to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charleston, SC | Salem, OR | Real change, Charleston → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $66,505 | +5.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $80,465 | +5.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $96,443 | +5.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $114,684 | +5.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $135,522 | +5.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charleston, SC | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Charleston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $110,310 | $126,680 | $123,396 (+11.9%) |
| Software Developers | $132,150 | $131,620 | $128,208 (−3.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,350 | $87,480 | $85,212 (+7.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,800 | $131,750 | $128,335 (+38.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.