City comparison
Ogden, UT vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 3.3% higher than in Ogden, UT. Someone earning $100,000 in Ogden, UT would need about $103,300 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,281 a month in Ogden, UT versus $1,201 in Salem, OR. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Ogden, UT and 20% in Salem, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,386 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Ogden, UT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.7% moving from Ogden, UT to Salem, OR ($106,437 → $114,684), while prices change by +3.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.3% in real buying power.
- Ogden, UT: price level 100.3 (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
| Ogden, UT | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,289 in Salem | $96,816 in Ogden |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,281/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,646 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,534 (UT) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,900 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Ogden, UT MSA and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Ogden, UT and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ogden | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 117.9 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 78.8 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ogden, UT → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.2%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$4,386/yr.
59 Fair offer
Salem, OR → Ogden, UT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.3%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$4,386/yr.
79 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ogden, UT 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 Ogden, UT to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ogden, UT | Salem, OR | Real change, Ogden → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $66,505 | +4.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $80,465 | +4.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $96,443 | +4.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $114,684 | +4.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $135,522 | +4.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ogden, UT | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Ogden dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,910 | $74,810 | $72,428 (+13.3%) |
| Software Developers | $109,880 | $131,620 | $127,429 (+16.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,010 | $87,480 | $84,695 (+3.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,840 | $131,750 | $127,555 (+55.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.