City comparison
Houston, 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 5.1% higher than in Houston, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Houston, TX would need about $105,100 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,323 a month in Houston, TX versus $1,201 in Salem, OR. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Houston, TX and 20% in Salem, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $7,920 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Houston, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.6% moving from Houston, TX to Salem, OR ($122,749 → $114,684), while prices change by +5.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −11.1% in real buying power.
- Houston, TX: price level 98.6 (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
| Houston, TX | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.6 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,090 in Salem | $95,157 in Houston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,323/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 | 20% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,410 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Houston-The Woodlands, TX | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Houston | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 104.5 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 100.6 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 95.3 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 95.6 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 98.6 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Houston, TX → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.8%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$7,920/yr.
54 Fair offer
Salem, OR → Houston, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$7,920/yr.
85 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Houston, TX is in the Houston-The Woodlands, TX pay area; Salem, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Houston, TX to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Houston, TX | Salem, OR | Real change, Houston → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,181 | $66,505 | −11.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $86,123 | $80,465 | −11.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $103,225 | $96,443 | −11.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $122,749 | $114,684 | −11.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $145,052 | $135,522 | −11.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Houston, TX | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Houston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,500 | $74,810 | $71,187 (+10.4%) |
| Software Developers | $129,440 | $131,620 | $125,245 (−3.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $87,480 | $83,243 (−2.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,830 | $131,750 | $125,369 (+25.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.