City comparison
Salem, OR vs St. Louis, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 9.0% higher than in St. Louis, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in St. Louis, MO would need about $109,000 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 $995 in St. Louis, MO. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Salem, OR and 16% in St. Louis, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,158 a year higher in Salem, OR than in St. Louis, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.8% moving from Salem, OR to St. Louis, MO ($114,684 → $109,137), while prices change by −8.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.7% in real buying power.
- Salem, OR: price level 103.6 (pricier)
- St. Louis, MO: price level 95.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Salem, OR | St. Louis, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.6 | 95.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,740 in St. Louis | $109,003 in Salem |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,201/mo | $995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,310 | $49,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA | St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL |
Rent areas: Salem, OR MSA and St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Salem, OR and St. Louis, MO-IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Salem | St. Louis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.3 | 79.0 |
| Goods | 105.3 | 100.0 |
| Utilities | 104.7 | 69.9 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 103.6 | 95.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Salem, OR → St. Louis, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.0%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$4,158/yr.
97 Strong offer
St. Louis, MO → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.3%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$4,158/yr.
43 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Salem, OR is in the Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA pay area; St. Louis, MO is in St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL. The last column shows what a transfer from Salem, OR to St. Louis, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Salem, OR | St. Louis, MO | Real change, Salem → St. Louis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $66,505 | $63,288 | +3.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $80,465 | $76,573 | +3.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $96,443 | $91,779 | +3.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $114,684 | $109,137 | +3.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $135,522 | $128,967 | +3.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Salem, OR | St. Louis, MO | St. Louis pay in Salem dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $74,810 | $60,650 | $66,110 (−11.6%) |
| Software Developers | $131,620 | $129,030 | $140,647 (+6.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $87,480 | $78,880 | $85,982 (−1.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $131,750 | $83,180 | $90,669 (−31.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.