City comparison
Philadelphia, PA vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 1.1% higher than in Philadelphia, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Philadelphia, PA would need about $101,100 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,520 a month in Philadelphia, PA versus $1,201 in Salem, OR. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA and 20% in Salem, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,850 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Philadelphia, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.2% moving from Philadelphia, PA to Salem, OR ($117,284 → $114,684), while prices change by +1.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.2% in real buying power.
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (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
| Philadelphia, PA | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.6 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,068 in Salem | $98,944 in Philadelphia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,520/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,310 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Philadelphia | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 113.1 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 114.4 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 103.1 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 102.6 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Philadelphia, PA → Salem, OR
Roughly even
Buying power −1.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$4,850/yr.
65 Fair offer
Salem, OR → Philadelphia, PA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$4,850/yr.
72 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Philadelphia, PA is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Salem, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Philadelphia, PA to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Philadelphia, PA | Salem, OR | Real change, Philadelphia → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $66,505 | −3.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $80,465 | −3.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $96,443 | −3.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $114,684 | −3.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $135,522 | −3.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Philadelphia, PA | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Philadelphia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,570 | $74,810 | $74,020 (−5.8%) |
| Software Developers | $133,040 | $131,620 | $130,230 (−2.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,990 | $87,480 | $86,556 (+0.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,180 | $131,750 | $130,358 (+28.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.