City comparison
Canton, OH vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 15.9% higher than in Canton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Canton, OH would need about $115,900 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,201 a month in Salem, OR versus $846 in Canton, OH. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Salem, OR and 13% in Canton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,953 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Canton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.2% moving from Canton, OH to Salem, OR ($111,138 → $114,684), while prices change by +15.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −11.0% in real buying power.
- Canton, OH: price level 89.4 (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
| Canton, OH | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.4 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $115,931 in Salem | $86,258 in Canton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $846/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 13% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,810 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Canton-Massillon, OH MSA and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Canton-Massillon, OH and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Canton | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 58.1 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 96.9 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 89.4 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Canton, OH → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$5,953/yr.
38 Weak offer
Salem, OR → Canton, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.9%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$5,953/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Canton, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Salem, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Canton, OH to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Canton, OH | Salem, OR | Real change, Canton → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $66,505 | −11.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $80,465 | −11.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $96,443 | −11.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $114,684 | −11.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $135,522 | −11.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Canton, OH | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Canton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $77,940 | $74,810 | $64,530 (−17.2%) |
| Software Developers | $105,500 | $131,620 | $113,533 (+7.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $72,170 | $87,480 | $75,459 (+4.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,610 | $131,750 | $113,645 (+42.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.