City comparison
Columbus, GA vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 16.1% higher than in Columbus, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, GA would need about $116,100 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,201 a month in Salem, OR versus $939 in Columbus, GA. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Salem, OR and 15% in Columbus, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,353 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Columbus, GA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.9% moving from Columbus, GA to Salem, OR ($112,556 → $114,684), while prices change by +16.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −12.2% in real buying power.
- Columbus, GA: price level 89.3 (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
| Columbus, GA | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.3 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $116,074 in Salem | $86,152 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $939/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $43,540 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Columbus, GA-AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Columbus, GA-AL and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 61.2 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 89.7 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 89.3 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, GA → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.8%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,353/yr.
38 Weak offer
Salem, OR → Columbus, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +16.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$3,353/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Salem, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, GA to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, GA | Salem, OR | Real change, Columbus → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $66,505 | −12.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $80,465 | −12.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $96,443 | −12.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $114,684 | −12.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $135,522 | −12.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, GA | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,360 | $74,810 | $64,451 (+5.0%) |
| Software Developers | $116,150 | $131,620 | $113,394 (−2.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,640 | $87,480 | $75,366 (+2.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,500 | $131,750 | $113,506 (+37.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.