City comparison
Columbus, 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 8.6% higher than in Columbus, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, OH would need about $108,600 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,194 a month in Columbus, OH and $1,201 in Salem, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,953 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.3% moving from Columbus, OH to Salem, OR ($111,065 → $114,684), while prices change by +8.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.9% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (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
| Columbus, OH | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,568 in Salem | $92,108 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/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 | 19% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.9%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$5,953/yr.
44 Weak offer
Salem, OR → Columbus, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$5,953/yr.
96 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Salem, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Salem, OR | Real change, Columbus → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $66,505 | −4.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $80,465 | −4.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $96,443 | −4.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $114,684 | −4.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $135,522 | −4.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $74,810 | $68,906 (−11.8%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $131,620 | $121,233 (−0.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $87,480 | $80,576 (−1.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $131,750 | $121,352 (+44.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.