City comparison
Richmond, VA vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 5.9% higher than in Richmond, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Richmond, VA would need about $105,900 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Richmond, VA versus $1,201 in Salem, OR. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Richmond, VA and 20% in Salem, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,984 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Richmond, VA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.1% moving from Richmond, VA to Salem, OR ($111,183 → $114,684), while prices change by +5.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.6% in real buying power.
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (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
| Richmond, VA | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.9 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,918 in Salem | $94,413 in Richmond |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,244 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,936 (VA) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,460 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Richmond, VA | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Richmond, VA and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Richmond | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 99.1 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 97.9 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Richmond, VA → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$2,984/yr.
51 Fair offer
Salem, OR → Richmond, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$2,984/yr.
87 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Richmond, VA is in the Richmond, VA pay area; Salem, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Richmond, VA to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Richmond, VA | Salem, OR | Real change, Richmond → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,475 | $66,505 | −2.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,009 | $80,465 | −2.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,499 | $96,443 | −2.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,183 | $114,684 | −2.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,385 | $135,522 | −2.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Richmond, VA | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Richmond dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,290 | $74,810 | $70,630 (+15.2%) |
| Software Developers | $132,120 | $131,620 | $124,266 (−5.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,220 | $87,480 | $82,592 (−1.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $93,580 | $131,750 | $124,389 (+32.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.