City comparison
Milwaukee, 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 6.9% higher than in Milwaukee, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Milwaukee, WI would need about $106,900 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,201 a month in Salem, OR versus $1,119 in Milwaukee, WI. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Salem, OR and 18% in Milwaukee, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,001 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Milwaukee, WI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.0% moving from Milwaukee, WI to Salem, OR ($111,310 → $114,684), while prices change by +6.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.6% in real buying power.
- Milwaukee, WI: price level 96.9 (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
| Milwaukee, WI | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.9 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,924 in Salem | $93,524 in Milwaukee |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,119/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 | 18% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,160 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Milwaukee | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.1 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 91.6 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 96.9 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Milwaukee, WI → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.5%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$4,001/yr.
49 Fair offer
Salem, OR → Milwaukee, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$4,001/yr.
90 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Milwaukee, WI is in the Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI pay area; Salem, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Milwaukee, WI to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Milwaukee, WI | Salem, OR | Real change, Milwaukee → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,548 | $66,505 | −3.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,098 | $80,465 | −3.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,606 | $96,443 | −3.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,310 | $114,684 | −3.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,535 | $135,522 | −3.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Milwaukee, WI | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Milwaukee dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,480 | $74,810 | $69,966 (+13.8%) |
| Software Developers | $123,730 | $131,620 | $123,097 (−0.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,290 | $87,480 | $81,815 (+1.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,360 | $131,750 | $123,218 (+26.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.