City comparison
Memphis, TN vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 12.4% higher than in Memphis, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Memphis, TN would need about $112,400 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,154 a month in Memphis, TN 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 Memphis, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.7% moving from Memphis, TN to Salem, OR ($106,437 → $114,684), while prices change by +12.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.2% in real buying power.
- Memphis, TN: price level 92.2 (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
| Memphis, TN | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.2 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,443 in Salem | $88,934 in Memphis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,154/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,890 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Memphis, TN-MS-AR HUD Metro FMR Area and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Memphis, TN-MS-AR and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Memphis | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.8 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 74.1 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 95.4 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 92.2 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Memphis, TN → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$7,920/yr.
38 Weak offer
Salem, OR → Memphis, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$7,920/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Memphis, TN 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 Memphis, TN to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Memphis, TN | Salem, OR | Real change, Memphis → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $66,505 | −4.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $80,465 | −4.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $96,443 | −4.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $114,684 | −4.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $135,522 | −4.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Memphis, TN | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Memphis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,510 | $74,810 | $66,531 (+8.2%) |
| Software Developers | $125,580 | $131,620 | $117,055 (−6.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,960 | $87,480 | $77,799 (+1.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,500 | $131,750 | $117,170 (+43.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.