City comparison
Salem, OR vs Tallahassee, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 10.4% higher than in Tallahassee, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tallahassee, FL would need about $110,400 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,201 a month in Salem, OR and $1,204 in Tallahassee, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $7,920 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Tallahassee, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.2% moving from Salem, OR to Tallahassee, FL ($114,684 → $106,437), while prices change by −9.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.4% in real buying power.
- Salem, OR: price level 103.6 (pricier)
- Tallahassee, FL: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Salem, OR | Tallahassee, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.6 | 93.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,613 in Tallahassee | $110,360 in Salem |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,201/mo | $1,204/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,310 | $46,520 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Salem, OR MSA and Tallahassee, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Salem, OR and Tallahassee, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Salem | Tallahassee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.3 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 105.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 104.7 | 87.5 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 103.6 | 93.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Salem, OR → Tallahassee, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$7,920/yr.
100 Strong offer
Tallahassee, FL → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.4%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$7,920/yr.
39 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Salem, OR is in the Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA pay area; Tallahassee, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Salem, OR to Tallahassee, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Salem, OR | Tallahassee, FL | Real change, Salem → Tallahassee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $66,505 | $61,722 | +2.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $80,465 | $74,678 | +2.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $96,443 | $89,508 | +2.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $114,684 | $106,437 | +2.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $135,522 | $125,776 | +2.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Salem, OR | Tallahassee, FL | Tallahassee pay in Salem dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $74,810 | $55,020 | $60,720 (−18.8%) |
| Software Developers | $131,620 | $121,800 | $134,418 (+2.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $87,480 | $61,840 | $68,247 (−22.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $131,750 | $79,430 | $87,659 (−33.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.