City comparison
Madison, WI vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 6.5% higher than in Madison, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Madison, WI would need about $106,500 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,482 a month in Madison, WI versus $1,201 in Salem, OR. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Madison, WI and 20% in Salem, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,001 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Madison, WI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.7% moving from Madison, WI to Salem, OR ($106,437 → $114,684), while prices change by +6.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.1% in real buying power.
- Madison, WI: price level 97.3 (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
| Madison, WI | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,539 in Salem | $93,862 in Madison |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,482/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,080 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Madison, WI and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Madison | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 99.7 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 89.8 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Madison, WI → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$4,001/yr.
50 Fair offer
Salem, OR → Madison, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$4,001/yr.
89 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Madison, WI 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 Madison, WI to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Madison, WI | Salem, OR | Real change, Madison → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $66,505 | +1.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $80,465 | +1.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $96,443 | +1.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $114,684 | +1.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $135,522 | +1.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Madison, WI | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Madison dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,690 | $74,810 | $70,218 (+10.2%) |
| Software Developers | $130,630 | $131,620 | $123,541 (−5.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,130 | $87,480 | $82,110 (+1.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,190 | $131,750 | $123,663 (+22.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.