City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 1.5% higher than in Salem, OR. Someone earning $100,000 in Salem, OR would need about $101,500 in Boulder, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $1,201 in Salem, OR. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 20% in Salem, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,229 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Boulder, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.4% moving from Boulder, CO to Salem, OR ($118,675 → $114,684), while prices change by −1.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.9% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- 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
| Boulder, CO | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,524 in Salem | $101,498 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Salem, OR
Roughly even
Buying power +1.5%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$4,229/yr.
73 Strong offer
Salem, OR → Boulder, CO
Roughly even
Buying power −1.5%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax −$4,229/yr.
59 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Salem, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Salem, OR | Real change, Boulder → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $66,505 | −1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $80,465 | −1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $96,443 | −1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $114,684 | −1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $135,522 | −1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $74,810 | $75,931 (−5.8%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $131,620 | $133,592 (−18.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $87,480 | $88,791 (−11.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $131,750 | $133,724 (+29.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.