City comparison
Colorado Springs, CO vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 2.9% higher than in Colorado Springs, CO. Someone earning $100,000 in Colorado Springs, CO would need about $102,900 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,464 a month in Colorado Springs, CO versus $1,201 in Salem, OR. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Colorado Springs, 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 Colorado Springs, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +5.0% moving from Colorado Springs, CO to Salem, OR ($109,246 → $114,684), while prices change by +2.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.0% in real buying power.
- Colorado Springs, CO: price level 100.7 (about average)
- 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
| Colorado Springs, CO | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.7 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,921 in Salem | $97,162 in Colorado Springs |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,464/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 | 23% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,710 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Colorado Springs, CO | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Colorado Springs, CO HUD Metro FMR Area and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Colorado Springs, CO and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Colorado Springs | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 116.2 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 83.2 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 100.7 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Colorado Springs, CO → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.8%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$4,229/yr.
60 Fair offer
Salem, OR → Colorado Springs, CO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.9%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$4,229/yr.
78 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Colorado Springs, CO is in the Colorado Springs, CO pay area; Salem, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Colorado Springs, CO to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Colorado Springs, CO | Salem, OR | Real change, Colorado Springs → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,351 | $66,505 | +2.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,650 | $80,465 | +2.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,870 | $96,443 | +2.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,246 | $114,684 | +2.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,096 | $135,522 | +2.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Colorado Springs, CO | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Colorado Springs dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,140 | $74,810 | $72,687 (+18.9%) |
| Software Developers | $134,280 | $131,620 | $127,884 (−4.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,000 | $87,480 | $84,997 (−0.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,140 | $131,750 | $128,010 (+33.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.