City comparison
Atlantic City, NJ vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 4.8% higher than in Atlantic City, NJ. Someone earning $100,000 in Atlantic City, NJ would need about $104,800 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,537 a month in Atlantic City, NJ versus $1,201 in Salem, OR. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Atlantic City, NJ and 20% in Salem, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,740 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Atlantic City, NJ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.2% moving from Atlantic City, NJ to Salem, OR ($117,284 → $114,684), while prices change by +4.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.7% in real buying power.
- Atlantic City, NJ: price level 98.9 (about average)
- 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
| Atlantic City, NJ | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.9 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,847 in Salem | $95,377 in Atlantic City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,000 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,180 (NJ) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,520 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ HUD Metro FMR Area and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlantic City | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.7 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 99.8 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 109.2 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 97.9 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 98.9 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlantic City, NJ → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,740/yr.
54 Fair offer
Salem, OR → Atlantic City, NJ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.8%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$3,740/yr.
84 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlantic City, NJ is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Salem, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlantic City, NJ to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlantic City, NJ | Salem, OR | Real change, Atlantic City → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $66,505 | −6.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $80,465 | −6.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $96,443 | −6.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $114,684 | −6.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $135,522 | −6.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlantic City, NJ | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Atlantic City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,480 | $74,810 | $71,351 (−11.3%) |
| Software Developers | $126,670 | $131,620 | $125,535 (−0.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,040 | $87,480 | $83,436 (+0.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,320 | $131,750 | $125,659 (+26.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.