City comparison
Birmingham, AL vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 13.1% higher than in Birmingham, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Birmingham, AL would need about $113,100 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,155 a month in Birmingham, AL and $1,201 in Salem, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,185 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Birmingham, AL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.7% moving from Birmingham, AL to Salem, OR ($107,510 → $114,684), while prices change by +13.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.7% in real buying power.
- Birmingham, AL: price level 91.6 (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
| Birmingham, AL | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $113,100 in Salem | $88,418 in Birmingham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,155/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,770 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Birmingham-Hoover, AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Birmingham, AL and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Birmingham | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 71.9 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 83.8 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Birmingham, AL → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,185/yr.
38 Weak offer
Salem, OR → Birmingham, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,185/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Birmingham, AL is in the Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL pay area; Salem, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Birmingham, AL to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Birmingham, AL | Salem, OR | Real change, Birmingham → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,344 | $66,505 | −5.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,431 | $80,465 | −5.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,410 | $96,443 | −5.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,510 | $114,684 | −5.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,044 | $135,522 | −5.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Birmingham, AL | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Birmingham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,630 | $74,810 | $66,145 (+5.6%) |
| Software Developers | $125,410 | $131,620 | $116,375 (−7.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,660 | $87,480 | $77,348 (−1.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $78,680 | $131,750 | $116,490 (+48.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.