City comparison
Salem, OR vs Shreveport, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 22.3% higher than in Shreveport, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Shreveport, LA would need about $122,300 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,201 a month in Salem, OR versus $982 in Shreveport, LA. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Salem, OR and 15% in Shreveport, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,307 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Shreveport, LA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.2% moving from Salem, OR to Shreveport, LA ($114,684 → $106,437), while prices change by −18.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +13.5% in real buying power.
- Salem, OR: price level 103.6 (pricier)
- Shreveport, LA: price level 84.8 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Salem, OR | Shreveport, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.6 | 84.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $81,782 in Shreveport | $122,277 in Salem |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,201/mo | $982/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,310 | $44,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Salem, OR MSA and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA MSA. Metro areas: Salem, OR and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Salem | Shreveport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.3 | 52.3 |
| Goods | 105.3 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 104.7 | 72.6 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 103.6 | 84.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Salem, OR → Shreveport, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +22.3%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$5,307/yr.
100 Strong offer
Shreveport, LA → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −18.2%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$5,307/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Salem, OR is in the Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA pay area; Shreveport, LA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Salem, OR to Shreveport, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Salem, OR | Shreveport, LA | Real change, Salem → Shreveport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $66,505 | $61,722 | +13.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $80,465 | $74,678 | +13.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $96,443 | $89,508 | +13.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $114,684 | $106,437 | +13.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $135,522 | $125,776 | +13.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Salem, OR | Shreveport, LA | Shreveport pay in Salem dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $74,810 | $61,850 | $75,628 (+1.1%) |
| Software Developers | $131,620 | $96,680 | $118,217 (−10.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $87,480 | $70,420 | $86,107 (−1.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $131,750 | $80,080 | $97,919 (−25.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.