City comparison
Sacramento, CA vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Sacramento, CA are 2.9% higher than in Salem, OR. Someone earning $100,000 in Salem, OR would need about $102,900 in Sacramento, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,832 a month in Sacramento, CA versus $1,201 in Salem, OR. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Sacramento, CA and 20% in Salem, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,850 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Sacramento, CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.8% moving from Sacramento, CA to Salem, OR ($117,984 → $114,684), while prices change by −2.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.0% in real buying power.
- Sacramento, CA: price level 106.7 (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
| Sacramento, CA | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 106.7 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,168 in Salem | $102,915 in Sacramento |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,832/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 30% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,750 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Sacramento | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 130.2 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 151.3 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 106.7 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Sacramento, CA → Salem, OR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.9%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$2,850/yr.
78 Strong offer
Salem, OR → Sacramento, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.8%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax −$2,850/yr.
53 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Sacramento, CA is in the Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV pay area; Salem, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Sacramento, CA to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Sacramento, CA | Salem, OR | Real change, Sacramento → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,419 | $66,505 | +0.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,780 | $80,465 | +0.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,218 | $96,443 | +0.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,984 | $114,684 | +0.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $139,422 | $135,522 | +0.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Sacramento, CA | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Sacramento dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $103,390 | $74,810 | $76,990 (−25.5%) |
| Software Developers | $139,640 | $131,620 | $135,456 (−3.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,110 | $87,480 | $90,030 (−2.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $171,460 | $131,750 | $135,590 (−20.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.