City comparison
Omaha, NE vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 12.8% higher than in Omaha, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Omaha, NE would need about $112,800 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,148 a month in Omaha, NE and $1,201 in Salem, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,250 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Omaha, NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.7% moving from Omaha, NE to Salem, OR ($107,501 → $114,684), while prices change by +12.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.4% in real buying power.
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (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
| Omaha, NE | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.9 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,771 in Salem | $88,675 in Omaha |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,148/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,660 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Omaha, NE-IA and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Omaha | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.4 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 76.4 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 91.9 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Omaha, NE → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.3%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$4,250/yr.
38 Weak offer
Salem, OR → Omaha, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$4,250/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Omaha, NE is in the Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA pay area; Salem, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Omaha, NE to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Omaha, NE | Salem, OR | Real change, Omaha → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,339 | $66,505 | −5.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,425 | $80,465 | −5.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,402 | $96,443 | −5.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,501 | $114,684 | −5.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,033 | $135,522 | −5.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Omaha, NE | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Omaha dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,670 | $74,810 | $66,338 (+5.9%) |
| Software Developers | $125,220 | $131,620 | $116,714 (−6.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,030 | $87,480 | $77,573 (+0.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,600 | $131,750 | $116,830 (+38.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.