City comparison
Denver, CO vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Denver, CO are 2.1% higher than in Salem, OR. Someone earning $100,000 in Salem, OR would need about $102,100 in Denver, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,754 a month in Denver, CO versus $1,201 in Salem, OR. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Denver, CO and 20% in Salem, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,229 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Denver, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.4% moving from Denver, CO to Salem, OR ($118,675 → $114,684), while prices change by −2.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.4% in real buying power.
- Denver, CO: price level 105.8 (pricier)
- 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
| Denver, CO | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.8 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,984 in Salem | $102,058 in Denver |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,754/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $62,320 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Denver | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 146.9 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 101.0 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 105.8 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Denver, CO → Salem, OR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$4,229/yr.
75 Strong offer
Salem, OR → Denver, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.0%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax −$4,229/yr.
58 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Denver, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Salem, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Denver, CO to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Denver, CO | Salem, OR | Real change, Denver → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $66,505 | −1.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $80,465 | −1.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $96,443 | −1.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $114,684 | −1.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $135,522 | −1.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Denver, CO | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Denver dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,910 | $74,810 | $76,350 (−0.7%) |
| Software Developers | $137,610 | $131,620 | $134,329 (−2.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,020 | $87,480 | $89,280 (−10.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,130 | $131,750 | $134,461 (+33.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.