City comparison
Gainesville, FL vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 7.1% higher than in Gainesville, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Gainesville, FL would need about $107,100 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,246 a month in Gainesville, FL and $1,201 in Salem, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $7,920 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Gainesville, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.7% moving from Gainesville, FL to Salem, OR ($106,437 → $114,684), while prices change by +7.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.6% in real buying power.
- Gainesville, FL: price level 96.7 (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
| Gainesville, FL | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.7 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,150 in Salem | $93,327 in Gainesville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,246/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,020 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Gainesville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Gainesville, FL and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Gainesville | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.0 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 96.7 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Gainesville, FL → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$7,920/yr.
48 Fair offer
Salem, OR → Gainesville, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$7,920/yr.
91 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Gainesville, FL 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 Gainesville, FL to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Gainesville, FL | Salem, OR | Real change, Gainesville → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $66,505 | +0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $80,465 | +0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $96,443 | +0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $114,684 | +0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $135,522 | +0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Gainesville, FL | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Gainesville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $56,430 | $74,810 | $69,818 (+23.7%) |
| Software Developers | $122,950 | $131,620 | $122,838 (−0.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,820 | $87,480 | $81,643 (+7.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,870 | $131,750 | $122,959 (+50.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.