City comparison
Pittsburgh, PA vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 9.5% higher than in Pittsburgh, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Pittsburgh, PA would need about $109,500 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,201 a month in Salem, OR versus $1,077 in Pittsburgh, PA. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Salem, OR and 17% in Pittsburgh, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,850 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Pittsburgh, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.2% moving from Pittsburgh, PA to Salem, OR ($110,047 → $114,684), while prices change by +9.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.8% in real buying power.
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (cheaper)
- 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
| Pittsburgh, PA | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.7 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,483 in Salem | $91,338 in Pittsburgh |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,077/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,650 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Pittsburgh, PA and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Pittsburgh | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.0 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 107.7 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 94.7 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Pittsburgh, PA → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$4,850/yr.
42 Weak offer
Salem, OR → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$4,850/yr.
98 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Pittsburgh, PA is in the Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV pay area; Salem, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Pittsburgh, PA to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Pittsburgh, PA | Salem, OR | Real change, Pittsburgh → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,815 | $66,505 | −4.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,211 | $80,465 | −4.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,543 | $96,443 | −4.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,047 | $114,684 | −4.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,042 | $135,522 | −4.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Pittsburgh, PA | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Pittsburgh dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,550 | $74,810 | $68,330 (−10.7%) |
| Software Developers | $124,500 | $131,620 | $120,219 (−3.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,940 | $87,480 | $79,903 (+3.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,370 | $131,750 | $120,338 (+46.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.