City comparison
El Paso, TX vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 15.3% higher than in El Paso, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in El Paso, TX would need about $115,300 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,201 a month in Salem, OR versus $1,013 in El Paso, TX. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Salem, OR and 15% in El Paso, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $7,920 a year higher in Salem, OR than in El Paso, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.7% moving from El Paso, TX to Salem, OR ($106,437 → $114,684), while prices change by +15.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.5% in real buying power.
- El Paso, TX: price level 89.9 (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
| El Paso, TX | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.9 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $115,278 in Salem | $86,747 in El Paso |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,013/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $39,510 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: El Paso, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: El Paso, TX and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | El Paso | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 71.2 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 82.6 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 89.9 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
El Paso, TX → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.3%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$7,920/yr.
38 Weak offer
Salem, OR → El Paso, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.3%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$7,920/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
El Paso, TX is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Salem, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from El Paso, TX to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | El Paso, TX | Salem, OR | Real change, El Paso → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $66,505 | −6.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $80,465 | −6.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $96,443 | −6.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $114,684 | −6.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $135,522 | −6.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | El Paso, TX | Salem, OR | Salem pay in El Paso dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,800 | $74,810 | $64,895 (+1.7%) |
| Software Developers | $127,310 | $131,620 | $114,176 (−10.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,990 | $87,480 | $75,886 (+15.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,100 | $131,750 | $114,289 (+32.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.