City comparison
Reno, NV vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 2.6% higher than in Reno, NV. Someone earning $100,000 in Reno, NV would need about $102,600 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,489 a month in Reno, NV versus $1,201 in Salem, OR. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Reno, NV and 20% in Salem, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $7,920 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Reno, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.3% moving from Reno, NV to Salem, OR ($106,855 → $114,684), while prices change by +2.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.6% in real buying power.
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (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
| Reno, NV | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,609 in Salem | $97,458 in Reno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,489/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NV) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,660 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Reno-Fernley, NV | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Reno, NV and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Reno | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 123.5 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 98.7 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Reno, NV → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.5%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$7,920/yr.
61 Fair offer
Salem, OR → Reno, NV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.6%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$7,920/yr.
77 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Reno, NV is in the Reno-Fernley, NV pay area; Salem, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Reno, NV to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Reno, NV | Salem, OR | Real change, Reno → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,965 | $66,505 | +4.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,972 | $80,465 | +4.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,859 | $96,443 | +4.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,855 | $114,684 | +4.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,271 | $135,522 | +4.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Reno, NV | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Reno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,430 | $74,810 | $72,908 (+16.8%) |
| Software Developers | $125,710 | $131,620 | $128,274 (+2.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,370 | $87,480 | $85,256 (+3.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,520 | $131,750 | $128,401 (+19.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.