City comparison
Provo, UT vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 5.5% higher than in Provo, UT. Someone earning $100,000 in Provo, UT would need about $105,500 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,265 a month in Provo, UT versus $1,201 in Salem, OR. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Provo, UT and 20% in Salem, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,386 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Provo, UT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.7% moving from Provo, UT to Salem, OR ($106,437 → $114,684), while prices change by +5.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.1% in real buying power.
- Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (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
| Provo, UT | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.2 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,514 in Salem | $94,774 in Provo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,265/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,646 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,534 (UT) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,010 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Provo | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 104.1 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 78.6 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 98.2 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Provo, UT → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.2%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$4,386/yr.
52 Fair offer
Salem, OR → Provo, UT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.5%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$4,386/yr.
86 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Provo, UT is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Salem, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Provo, UT to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Provo, UT | Salem, OR | Real change, Provo → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $66,505 | +2.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $80,465 | +2.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $96,443 | +2.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $114,684 | +2.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $135,522 | +2.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Provo, UT | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Provo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,930 | $74,810 | $70,900 (+12.7%) |
| Software Developers | $131,210 | $131,620 | $124,741 (−4.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,700 | $87,480 | $82,908 (+9.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,780 | $131,750 | $124,864 (+52.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.