City comparison
Salem, OR vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 7.0% higher than in Tucson, AZ. Someone earning $100,000 in Tucson, AZ would need about $107,000 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,201 a month in Salem, OR versus $1,081 in Tucson, AZ. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Salem, OR and 17% in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,629 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Tucson, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.4% moving from Salem, OR to Tucson, AZ ($114,684 → $108,455), while prices change by −6.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.2% in real buying power.
- Salem, OR: price level 103.6 (pricier)
- Tucson, AZ: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Salem, OR | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.6 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,485 in Tucson | $106,969 in Salem |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,201/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,310 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Salem, OR MSA and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Salem, OR and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Salem | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.3 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 105.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 104.7 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 103.6 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Salem, OR → Tucson, AZ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$5,629/yr.
91 Strong offer
Tucson, AZ → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.5%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$5,629/yr.
48 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Salem, OR is in the Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Salem, OR to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Salem, OR | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Salem → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $66,505 | $62,893 | +1.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $80,465 | $76,095 | +1.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $96,443 | $91,205 | +1.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $114,684 | $108,455 | +1.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $135,522 | $128,162 | +1.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Salem, OR | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Salem dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $74,810 | $47,220 | $50,511 (−32.5%) |
| Software Developers | $131,620 | $123,710 | $132,332 (+0.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $87,480 | $76,320 | $81,639 (−6.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $131,750 | $94,110 | $100,669 (−23.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.