City comparison
Modesto, CA vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Modesto, CA (104.1) and Salem, OR (103.6, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Modesto, CA goes as far as $99,600 in Salem, OR.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,356 a month in Modesto, CA versus $1,201 in Salem, OR. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Modesto, CA and 20% in Salem, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,850 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Modesto, CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −13.8% moving from Modesto, CA to Salem, OR ($133,060 → $114,684), while prices change by −0.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −13.4% in real buying power.
- Modesto, CA: price level 104.1 (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
| Modesto, CA | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.1 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,559 in Salem | $100,443 in Modesto |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,356/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,610 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Modesto, CA MSA and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Modesto, CA and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Modesto | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 108.5 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 152.3 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 104.1 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Modesto, CA → Salem, OR
Roughly even
Buying power +0.4%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$2,850/yr.
70 Strong offer
Salem, OR → Modesto, CA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.4%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$2,850/yr.
67 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Modesto, CA is in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA pay area; Salem, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Modesto, CA to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Modesto, CA | Salem, OR | Real change, Modesto → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $77,161 | $66,505 | −13.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $93,358 | $80,465 | −13.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $111,896 | $96,443 | −13.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $133,060 | $114,684 | −13.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $157,236 | $135,522 | −13.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Modesto, CA | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Modesto dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $101,640 | $74,810 | $75,141 (−26.1%) |
| Software Developers | $119,770 | $131,620 | $132,203 (+10.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,560 | $87,480 | $87,867 (+5.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $132,590 | $131,750 | $132,333 (−0.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.