City comparison
Montgomery, AL vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 15.6% higher than in Montgomery, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Montgomery, AL would need about $115,600 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,201 a month in Salem, OR versus $870 in Montgomery, AL. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Salem, OR and 14% in Montgomery, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,185 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Montgomery, AL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.7% moving from Montgomery, AL to Salem, OR ($106,437 → $114,684), while prices change by +15.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.8% in real buying power.
- Montgomery, AL: price level 89.7 (much 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
| Montgomery, AL | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.7 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $115,574 in Salem | $86,525 in Montgomery |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $870/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,950 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Montgomery, AL MSA and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Montgomery, AL and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Montgomery | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.3 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 84.9 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 89.7 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Montgomery, AL → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.5%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,185/yr.
38 Weak offer
Salem, OR → Montgomery, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.6%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$3,185/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Montgomery, AL 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 Montgomery, AL to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Montgomery, AL | Salem, OR | Real change, Montgomery → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $66,505 | −6.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $80,465 | −6.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $96,443 | −6.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $114,684 | −6.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $135,522 | −6.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Montgomery, AL | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Montgomery dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,610 | $74,810 | $64,729 (+8.6%) |
| Software Developers | $110,620 | $131,620 | $113,884 (+3.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,040 | $87,480 | $75,692 (+0.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,570 | $131,750 | $113,996 (+43.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.