City comparison
Detroit, MI vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 3.3% higher than in Detroit, MI. Someone earning $100,000 in Detroit, MI would need about $103,300 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,201 a month in Salem, OR versus $1,122 in Detroit, MI. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Salem, OR and 18% in Detroit, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,921 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Detroit, MI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.3% moving from Detroit, MI to Salem, OR ($117,402 → $114,684), while prices change by +3.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.5% in real buying power.
- Detroit, MI: price level 100.3 (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
| Detroit, MI | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,341 in Salem | $96,767 in Detroit |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,122/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,080 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Detroit | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.7 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 98.8 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 102.6 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Detroit, MI → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.2%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,921/yr.
59 Fair offer
Salem, OR → Detroit, MI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,921/yr.
79 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Detroit, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Salem, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Detroit, MI to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Detroit, MI | Salem, OR | Real change, Detroit → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $66,505 | −5.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $80,465 | −5.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $96,443 | −5.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $114,684 | −5.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $135,522 | −5.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Detroit, MI | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Detroit dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,210 | $74,810 | $72,391 (+11.0%) |
| Software Developers | $130,760 | $131,620 | $127,365 (−2.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,650 | $87,480 | $84,652 (+5.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,280 | $131,750 | $127,490 (+31.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.