City comparison
Greeley, CO vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 3.5% higher than in Greeley, CO. Someone earning $100,000 in Greeley, CO would need about $103,500 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,238 a month in Greeley, CO and $1,201 in Salem, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,229 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Greeley, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.4% moving from Greeley, CO to Salem, OR ($118,675 → $114,684), while prices change by +3.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.6% in real buying power.
- Greeley, CO: price level 100.2 (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
| Greeley, CO | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.2 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,467 in Salem | $96,649 in Greeley |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,238/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 | 20% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,070 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Greeley, CO MSA and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Greeley, CO and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greeley | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 112.6 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 82.0 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 100.2 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greeley, CO → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.4%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$4,229/yr.
58 Fair offer
Salem, OR → Greeley, CO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.5%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$4,229/yr.
80 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Greeley, 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 Greeley, CO to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greeley, CO | Salem, OR | Real change, Greeley → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $66,505 | −6.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $80,465 | −6.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $96,443 | −6.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $114,684 | −6.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $135,522 | −6.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Greeley, CO | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Greeley dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,160 | $74,810 | $72,303 (+20.2%) |
| Software Developers | $129,480 | $131,620 | $127,210 (−1.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $87,240 | $87,480 | $84,549 (−3.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,300 | $131,750 | $127,335 (+32.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.