City comparison
Salem, OR vs Sioux Falls, SD
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 14.4% higher than in Sioux Falls, SD. Someone earning $100,000 in Sioux Falls, SD would need about $114,400 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,201 a month in Salem, OR versus $986 in Sioux Falls, SD. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Salem, OR and 15% in Sioux Falls, SD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $7,920 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Sioux Falls, SD.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.2% moving from Salem, OR to Sioux Falls, SD ($114,684 → $106,437), while prices change by −12.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.1% in real buying power.
- Salem, OR: price level 103.6 (pricier)
- Sioux Falls, SD: price level 90.6 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Salem, OR | Sioux Falls, SD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.6 | 90.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,440 in Sioux Falls | $114,364 in Salem |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,201/mo | $986/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $0 (SD) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,310 | $47,970 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Salem, OR MSA and Sioux Falls, SD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Salem, OR and Sioux Falls, SD-MN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Salem | Sioux Falls |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.3 | 77.6 |
| Goods | 105.3 | 95.5 |
| Utilities | 104.7 | 80.7 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 91.9 |
| Overall | 103.6 | 90.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Salem, OR → Sioux Falls, SD
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$7,920/yr.
100 Strong offer
Sioux Falls, SD → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$7,920/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Salem, OR is in the Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA pay area; Sioux Falls, SD is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Salem, OR to Sioux Falls, SD at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Salem, OR | Sioux Falls, SD | Real change, Salem → Sioux Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $66,505 | $61,722 | +6.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $80,465 | $74,678 | +6.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $96,443 | $89,508 | +6.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $114,684 | $106,437 | +6.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $135,522 | $125,776 | +6.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Salem, OR | Sioux Falls, SD | Sioux Falls pay in Salem dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $74,810 | $50,040 | $57,228 (−23.5%) |
| Software Developers | $131,620 | $101,040 | $115,553 (−12.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $87,480 | $80,920 | $92,543 (+5.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $131,750 | $75,350 | $86,173 (−34.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.