City comparison
Merced, CA vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 5.5% higher than in Merced, CA. Someone earning $100,000 in Merced, CA would need about $105,500 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,213 a month in Merced, CA and $1,201 in Salem, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,850 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Merced, CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −13.8% moving from Merced, CA to Salem, OR ($133,060 → $114,684), while prices change by +5.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −18.3% in real buying power.
- Merced, CA: price level 98.3 (about average)
- 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
| Merced, CA | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.3 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,468 in Salem | $94,815 in Merced |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,213/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,220 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Merced, CA MSA and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Merced, CA and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Merced | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 78.6 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 158.3 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 98.3 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Merced, CA → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.2%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$2,850/yr.
53 Fair offer
Salem, OR → Merced, CA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.5%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$2,850/yr.
86 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Merced, CA is in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA pay area; Salem, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Merced, CA to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Merced, CA | Salem, OR | Real change, Merced → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $77,161 | $66,505 | −18.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $93,358 | $80,465 | −18.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $111,896 | $96,443 | −18.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $133,060 | $114,684 | −18.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $157,236 | $135,522 | −18.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Merced, CA | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Merced dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $100,120 | $74,810 | $70,931 (−29.2%) |
| Software Developers | $132,120 | $131,620 | $124,796 (−5.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,420 | $87,480 | $82,944 (+3.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $131,620 | $131,750 | $124,919 (−5.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.