City comparison
Fresno, CA vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 1.5% higher than in Fresno, CA. Someone earning $100,000 in Fresno, CA would need about $101,500 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,355 a month in Fresno, CA versus $1,201 in Salem, OR. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Fresno, CA and 20% in Salem, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,850 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Fresno, CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.2% moving from Fresno, CA to Salem, OR ($106,973 → $114,684), while prices change by +1.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.7% in real buying power.
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (pricier)
- 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
| Fresno, CA | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.2 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,460 in Salem | $98,561 in Fresno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,355/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,910 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Fresno, CA and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fresno | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.7 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 161.0 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 102.2 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fresno, CA → Salem, OR
Roughly even
Buying power −1.4%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$2,850/yr.
64 Fair offer
Salem, OR → Fresno, CA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.5%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$2,850/yr.
73 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fresno, CA is in the Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA pay area; Salem, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Fresno, CA to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fresno, CA | Salem, OR | Real change, Fresno → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,033 | $66,505 | +5.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,055 | $80,465 | +5.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,959 | $96,443 | +5.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,973 | $114,684 | +5.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,410 | $135,522 | +5.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fresno, CA | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Fresno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,800 | $74,810 | $73,734 (−6.4%) |
| Software Developers | $129,060 | $131,620 | $129,727 (+0.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,690 | $87,480 | $86,222 (+9.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,420 | $131,750 | $129,855 (+3.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.