City comparison
Minneapolis, MN vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 1.1% higher than in Salem, OR. Someone earning $100,000 in Salem, OR would need about $101,100 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,405 a month in Minneapolis, MN versus $1,201 in Salem, OR. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Minneapolis, MN and 20% in Salem, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,644 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Minneapolis, MN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.2% moving from Minneapolis, MN to Salem, OR ($116,038 → $114,684), while prices change by −1.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.0% in real buying power.
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
- 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
| Minneapolis, MN | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.8 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,881 in Salem | $101,132 in Minneapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,405/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,903 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,277 (MN) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,320 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Minneapolis | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.8 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 103.1 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 93.5 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 104.4 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 104.8 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Minneapolis, MN → Salem, OR
Roughly even
Buying power +1.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$2,644/yr.
72 Strong offer
Salem, OR → Minneapolis, MN
Roughly even
Buying power −1.1%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$2,644/yr.
65 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Minneapolis, MN is in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI pay area; Salem, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Minneapolis, MN to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Minneapolis, MN | Salem, OR | Real change, Minneapolis → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $67,290 | $66,505 | −0.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $81,415 | $80,465 | −0.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $97,582 | $96,443 | −0.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $116,038 | $114,684 | −0.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $137,123 | $135,522 | −0.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Minneapolis, MN | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Minneapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,730 | $74,810 | $75,657 (−5.1%) |
| Software Developers | $130,920 | $131,620 | $133,110 (+1.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $86,500 | $87,480 | $88,470 (+2.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,040 | $131,750 | $133,241 (+29.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.