City comparison
Salem, OR vs Spokane, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 3.3% higher than in Spokane, WA. Someone earning $100,000 in Spokane, WA would need about $103,300 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,201 a month in Salem, OR and $1,193 in Spokane, WA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $7,920 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Spokane, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.7% moving from Salem, OR to Spokane, WA ($114,684 → $106,991), while prices change by −3.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.6% in real buying power.
- Salem, OR: price level 103.6 (pricier)
- Spokane, WA: price level 100.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Salem, OR | Spokane, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.6 | 100.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,813 in Spokane | $103,292 in Salem |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,201/mo | $1,193/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,310 | $54,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA | Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID |
Rent areas: Salem, OR MSA and Spokane, WA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Salem, OR and Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Salem | Spokane |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.3 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 105.3 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 104.7 | 91.2 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 103.6 | 100.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Salem, OR → Spokane, WA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$7,920/yr.
79 Strong offer
Spokane, WA → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.2%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$7,920/yr.
59 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Salem, OR is in the Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA pay area; Spokane, WA is in Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID. The last column shows what a transfer from Salem, OR to Spokane, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Salem, OR | Spokane, WA | Real change, Salem → Spokane |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $66,505 | $62,044 | −3.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $80,465 | $75,068 | −3.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $96,443 | $89,974 | −3.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $114,684 | $106,991 | −3.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $135,522 | $126,432 | −3.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Salem, OR | Spokane, WA | Spokane pay in Salem dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $74,810 | $98,800 | $102,052 (+36.4%) |
| Software Developers | $131,620 | $130,690 | $134,992 (+2.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $87,480 | $86,350 | $89,192 (+2.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $131,750 | $111,750 | $115,428 (−12.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.