City comparison
Buffalo, NY vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 8.1% higher than in Buffalo, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Buffalo, NY would need about $108,100 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,201 a month in Salem, OR versus $1,139 in Buffalo, NY. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Salem, OR and 18% in Buffalo, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,061 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Buffalo, NY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.0% moving from Buffalo, NY to Salem, OR ($111,301 → $114,684), while prices change by +8.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.7% in real buying power.
- Buffalo, NY: price level 95.8 (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
| Buffalo, NY | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.8 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,143 in Salem | $92,470 in Buffalo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,139/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,790 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY MSA and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Buffalo | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 81.0 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 129.5 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 95.8 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Buffalo, NY → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.5%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,061/yr.
45 Fair offer
Salem, OR → Buffalo, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,061/yr.
94 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Buffalo, NY is in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY pay area; Salem, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Buffalo, NY to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Buffalo, NY | Salem, OR | Real change, Buffalo → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,543 | $66,505 | −4.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,091 | $80,465 | −4.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,598 | $96,443 | −4.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,301 | $114,684 | −4.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,525 | $135,522 | −4.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Buffalo, NY | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Buffalo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,490 | $74,810 | $69,177 (−9.6%) |
| Software Developers | $127,850 | $131,620 | $121,709 (−4.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,120 | $87,480 | $80,893 (−1.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,060 | $131,750 | $121,829 (+23.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.