City comparison
Reading, 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 6.8% higher than in Reading, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Reading, PA would need about $106,800 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,237 a month in Reading, PA and $1,201 in Salem, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,850 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Reading, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.2% moving from Reading, PA to Salem, OR ($117,284 → $114,684), while prices change by +6.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.4% in real buying power.
- Reading, PA: price level 97.1 (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
| Reading, PA | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.1 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,789 in Salem | $93,643 in Reading |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,237/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 | 20% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,440 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Reading, PA MSA and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Reading, PA and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Reading | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 85.4 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 108.2 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 97.1 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Reading, PA → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.4%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$4,850/yr.
49 Fair offer
Salem, OR → Reading, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.8%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$4,850/yr.
90 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Reading, 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 Reading, PA to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Reading, PA | Salem, OR | Real change, Reading → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $66,505 | −8.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $80,465 | −8.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $96,443 | −8.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $114,684 | −8.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $135,522 | −8.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Reading, PA | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Reading dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,860 | $74,810 | $70,054 (−12.3%) |
| Software Developers | $120,920 | $131,620 | $123,253 (+1.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,550 | $87,480 | $81,919 (+8.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $98,470 | $131,750 | $123,375 (+25.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.