City comparison
Grand Rapids, MI vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 8.5% higher than in Grand Rapids, MI. Someone earning $100,000 in Grand Rapids, MI would need about $108,500 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,278 a month in Grand Rapids, MI versus $1,201 in Salem, OR. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Grand Rapids, MI and 20% in Salem, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,921 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Grand Rapids, MI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.7% moving from Grand Rapids, MI to Salem, OR ($106,437 → $114,684), while prices change by +8.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.7% in real buying power.
- Grand Rapids, MI: 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
| Grand Rapids, MI | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,481 in Salem | $92,182 in Grand Rapids |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,278/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,570 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Grand Rapids | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.6 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 93.8 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Grand Rapids, MI → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.8%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,921/yr.
44 Weak offer
Salem, OR → Grand Rapids, MI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.5%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$3,921/yr.
95 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Grand Rapids, MI 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 Grand Rapids, MI to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Grand Rapids, MI | Salem, OR | Real change, Grand Rapids → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $66,505 | −0.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $80,465 | −0.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $96,443 | −0.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $114,684 | −0.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $135,522 | −0.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Grand Rapids, MI | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Grand Rapids dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,900 | $74,810 | $68,962 (+11.4%) |
| Software Developers | $107,520 | $131,620 | $121,330 (+12.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,270 | $87,480 | $80,641 (+5.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,920 | $131,750 | $121,450 (+44.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.