City comparison
Kansas City, MO vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 12.0% higher than in Kansas City, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Kansas City, MO would need about $112,000 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,197 a month in Kansas City, MO and $1,201 in Salem, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,158 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Kansas City, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.0% moving from Kansas City, MO to Salem, OR ($108,173 → $114,684), while prices change by +12.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.3% in real buying power.
- Kansas City, MO: price level 92.5 (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
| Kansas City, MO | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.5 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,001 in Salem | $89,285 in Kansas City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,197/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,417 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,763 (MO) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,820 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Kansas City, MO-KS and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kansas City | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.6 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 89.0 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 93.4 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 92.5 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kansas City, MO → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$4,158/yr.
38 Weak offer
Salem, OR → Kansas City, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,158/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Kansas City, MO is in the Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS pay area; Salem, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Kansas City, MO to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kansas City, MO | Salem, OR | Real change, Kansas City → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,729 | $66,505 | −5.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,897 | $80,465 | −5.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,968 | $96,443 | −5.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,173 | $114,684 | −5.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,829 | $135,522 | −5.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kansas City, MO | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Kansas City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,060 | $74,810 | $66,794 (+9.4%) |
| Software Developers | $124,990 | $131,620 | $117,517 (−6.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $87,480 | $78,107 (−2.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,040 | $131,750 | $117,633 (+41.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.