City comparison
Raleigh, NC vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 5.6% higher than in Raleigh, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Raleigh, NC would need about $105,600 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,596 a month in Raleigh, NC versus $1,201 in Salem, OR. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Raleigh, NC and 20% in Salem, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,439 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Raleigh, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.2% moving from Raleigh, NC to Salem, OR ($111,147 → $114,684), while prices change by +5.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.3% in real buying power.
- Raleigh, NC: price level 98.2 (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
| Raleigh, NC | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.2 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,595 in Salem | $94,701 in Raleigh |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,596/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,990 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Raleigh-Cary, NC and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Raleigh | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 103.5 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 89.0 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 98.2 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Raleigh, NC → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.3%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$4,439/yr.
52 Fair offer
Salem, OR → Raleigh, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.6%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$4,439/yr.
86 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Raleigh, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Salem, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Raleigh, NC to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Raleigh, NC | Salem, OR | Real change, Raleigh → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $66,505 | −2.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $80,465 | −2.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $96,443 | −2.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $114,684 | −2.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $135,522 | −2.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Raleigh, NC | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Raleigh dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,170 | $74,810 | $70,846 (+17.7%) |
| Software Developers | $132,770 | $131,620 | $124,646 (−6.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,950 | $87,480 | $82,845 (+1.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,830 | $131,750 | $124,769 (+47.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.