City comparison
Salem, OR vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 1.1% higher than in Worcester, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Worcester, MA would need about $101,100 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,599 a month in Worcester, MA versus $1,201 in Salem, OR. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 20% in Salem, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,140 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Worcester, MA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +5.1% moving from Salem, OR to Worcester, MA ($114,684 → $120,548), while prices change by −1.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.3% in real buying power.
- Salem, OR: price level 103.6 (pricier)
- Worcester, MA: price level 102.5 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Salem, OR | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.6 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,914 in Worcester | $101,098 in Salem |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,201/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,310 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Salem, OR MSA and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Salem, OR and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Salem | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.3 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 105.3 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 104.7 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 103.6 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Salem, OR → Worcester, MA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.1%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$3,140/yr.
71 Strong offer
Worcester, MA → Salem, OR
Roughly even
Buying power −1.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,140/yr.
65 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Salem, OR is in the Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA pay area; Worcester, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Salem, OR to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Salem, OR | Worcester, MA | Real change, Salem → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $66,505 | $69,905 | +6.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $80,465 | $84,579 | +6.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $96,443 | $101,375 | +6.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $114,684 | $120,548 | +6.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $135,522 | $142,452 | +6.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Salem, OR | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Salem dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $74,810 | $82,810 | $83,719 (+11.9%) |
| Software Developers | $131,620 | $146,950 | $148,564 (+12.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $87,480 | $94,070 | $95,103 (+8.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $131,750 | $100,240 | $101,341 (−23.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.