City comparison
Corpus Christi, TX vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 11.8% higher than in Corpus Christi, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Corpus Christi, TX would need about $111,800 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,201 a month in Salem, OR versus $1,117 in Corpus Christi, TX. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Salem, OR and 17% in Corpus Christi, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $7,920 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Corpus Christi, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.2% moving from Corpus Christi, TX to Salem, OR ($106,955 → $114,684), while prices change by +11.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.1% in real buying power.
- Corpus Christi, TX: price level 92.7 (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
| Corpus Christi, TX | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,846 in Salem | $89,408 in Corpus Christi |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,117/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,350 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Corpus Christi, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Corpus Christi, TX and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Corpus Christi | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.9 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 81.0 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Corpus Christi, TX → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$7,920/yr.
38 Weak offer
Salem, OR → Corpus Christi, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$7,920/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Corpus Christi, TX is in the Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX pay area; Salem, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Corpus Christi, TX to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Corpus Christi, TX | Salem, OR | Real change, Corpus Christi → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,023 | $66,505 | −4.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,042 | $80,465 | −4.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,943 | $96,443 | −4.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,955 | $114,684 | −4.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,389 | $135,522 | −4.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Corpus Christi, TX | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Corpus Christi dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,210 | $74,810 | $66,886 (+11.1%) |
| Software Developers | $123,580 | $131,620 | $117,679 (−4.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,580 | $87,480 | $78,215 (+3.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,690 | $131,750 | $117,796 (+42.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.