City comparison
Portland, ME vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 1.8% higher than in Portland, ME. Someone earning $100,000 in Portland, ME would need about $101,800 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,658 a month in Portland, ME versus $1,201 in Salem, OR. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 20% in Salem, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,266 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Portland, ME.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.9% moving from Portland, ME to Salem, OR ($120,548 → $114,684), while prices change by +1.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.5% in real buying power.
- Portland, ME: price level 101.9 (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
| Portland, ME | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.9 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,758 in Salem | $98,272 in Portland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,658/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,526 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,654 (ME) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,960 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Portland-South Portland, ME and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Portland | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.2 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 97.2 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 134.6 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 103.2 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 101.9 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Portland, ME → Salem, OR
Roughly even
Buying power −1.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$2,266/yr.
63 Fair offer
Salem, OR → Portland, ME
Roughly even
Buying power +1.8%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax −$2,266/yr.
71 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Portland, ME is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Salem, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Portland, ME to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Portland, ME | Salem, OR | Real change, Portland → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $66,505 | −6.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $80,465 | −6.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $96,443 | −6.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $114,684 | −6.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $135,522 | −6.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Portland, ME | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Portland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,770 | $74,810 | $73,517 (−4.2%) |
| Software Developers | $128,710 | $131,620 | $129,346 (+0.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,790 | $87,480 | $85,968 (+7.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $88,470 | $131,750 | $129,473 (+46.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.