City comparison
Akron, OH vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 11.0% higher than in Akron, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Akron, OH would need about $111,000 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 $985 in Akron, OH. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Salem, OR and 15% in Akron, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,953 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Akron, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.2% moving from Akron, OH to Salem, OR ($111,138 → $114,684), while prices change by +11.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.0% in real buying power.
- Akron, OH: price level 93.4 (cheaper)
- Salem, OR: price level 103.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Akron, OH | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.4 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,009 in Salem | $90,083 in Akron |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $985/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,840 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Akron, OH MSA and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Akron, OH and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Akron | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 96.4 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 93.4 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Akron, OH → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.9%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$5,953/yr.
38 Weak offer
Salem, OR → Akron, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.0%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$5,953/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Akron, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Salem, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Akron, OH to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Akron, OH | Salem, OR | Real change, Akron → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $66,505 | −7.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $80,465 | −7.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $96,443 | −7.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $114,684 | −7.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $135,522 | −7.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Akron, OH | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Akron dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,560 | $74,810 | $67,391 (−14.2%) |
| Software Developers | $105,430 | $131,620 | $118,567 (+12.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,540 | $87,480 | $78,804 (+0.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,770 | $131,750 | $118,684 (+46.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.