City comparison
Salem, OR vs Visalia, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 3.8% higher than in Visalia, CA. Someone earning $100,000 in Visalia, CA would need about $103,800 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,201 a month in Salem, OR versus $1,123 in Visalia, CA. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Salem, OR and 18% in Visalia, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,850 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Visalia, CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.7% moving from Salem, OR to Visalia, CA ($114,684 → $106,973), while prices change by −3.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.2% in real buying power.
- Salem, OR: price level 103.6 (pricier)
- Visalia, CA: price level 99.8 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Salem, OR | Visalia, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.6 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,311 in Visalia | $103,831 in Salem |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,201/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,310 | $45,130 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA |
Rent areas: Salem, OR MSA and Visalia, CA MSA. Metro areas: Salem, OR and Visalia, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Salem | Visalia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.3 | 84.1 |
| Goods | 105.3 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 104.7 | 156.4 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 103.6 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Salem, OR → Visalia, CA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$2,850/yr.
81 Strong offer
Visalia, CA → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$2,850/yr.
57 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Salem, OR is in the Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA pay area; Visalia, CA is in Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Salem, OR to Visalia, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Salem, OR | Visalia, CA | Real change, Salem → Visalia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $66,505 | $62,033 | −3.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $80,465 | $75,055 | −3.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $96,443 | $89,959 | −3.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $114,684 | $106,973 | −3.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $135,522 | $126,410 | −3.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Salem, OR | Visalia, CA | Visalia pay in Salem dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $74,810 | $98,430 | $102,201 (+36.6%) |
| Software Developers | $131,620 | $126,170 | $131,003 (−0.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $87,480 | $79,400 | $82,442 (−5.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $131,750 | $125,180 | $129,975 (−1.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.