City comparison
Augusta, GA vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 12.8% higher than in Augusta, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Augusta, GA would need about $112,800 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,201 a month in Salem, OR versus $1,114 in Augusta, GA. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Salem, OR and 18% in Augusta, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,353 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Augusta, GA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.7% moving from Augusta, GA to Salem, OR ($106,437 → $114,684), while prices change by +12.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.5% in real buying power.
- Augusta, GA: price level 91.9 (much 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
| Augusta, GA | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.9 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,781 in Salem | $88,668 in Augusta |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,114/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,990 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Augusta | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 70.6 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 89.5 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 91.9 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Augusta, GA → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.3%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,353/yr.
38 Weak offer
Salem, OR → Augusta, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,353/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Augusta, GA is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Salem, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Augusta, GA to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Augusta, GA | Salem, OR | Real change, Augusta → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $66,505 | −4.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $80,465 | −4.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $96,443 | −4.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $114,684 | −4.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $135,522 | −4.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Augusta, GA | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Augusta dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,000 | $74,810 | $66,332 (+5.3%) |
| Software Developers | $119,780 | $131,620 | $116,704 (−2.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,710 | $87,480 | $77,566 (+1.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $87,760 | $131,750 | $116,819 (+33.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.