City comparison
Port St. Lucie, FL vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 3.4% higher than in Port St. Lucie, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Port St. Lucie, FL would need about $103,400 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,467 a month in Port St. Lucie, FL versus $1,201 in Salem, OR. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Port St. Lucie, FL and 20% in Salem, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $7,920 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Port St. Lucie, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.2% moving from Port St. Lucie, FL to Salem, OR ($113,356 → $114,684), while prices change by +3.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.2% in real buying power.
- Port St. Lucie, FL: 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
| Port St. Lucie, FL | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.2 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,413 in Salem | $96,699 in Port St. Lucie |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,467/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,490 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Port St. Lucie, FL MSA and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Port St. Lucie, FL and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Port St. Lucie | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 113.6 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 87.0 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 100.2 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Port St. Lucie, FL → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.3%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$7,920/yr.
58 Fair offer
Salem, OR → Port St. Lucie, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.4%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$7,920/yr.
79 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Port St. Lucie, FL is in the Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL pay area; Salem, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Port St. Lucie, FL to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Port St. Lucie, FL | Salem, OR | Real change, Port St. Lucie → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,735 | $66,505 | −2.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $79,533 | $80,465 | −2.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $95,326 | $96,443 | −2.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $113,356 | $114,684 | −2.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,953 | $135,522 | −2.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Port St. Lucie, FL | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Port St. Lucie dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $53,610 | $74,810 | $72,341 (+34.9%) |
| Software Developers | $128,510 | $131,620 | $127,276 (−1.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,430 | $87,480 | $84,593 (+6.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,090 | $131,750 | $127,402 (+55.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.