City comparison
Salem, OR vs Scranton, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 10.8% higher than in Scranton, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Scranton, PA would need about $110,800 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,201 a month in Salem, OR versus $1,028 in Scranton, PA. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Salem, OR and 16% in Scranton, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,850 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Scranton, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.2% moving from Salem, OR to Scranton, PA ($114,684 → $106,437), while prices change by −9.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.8% in real buying power.
- Salem, OR: price level 103.6 (pricier)
- Scranton, PA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Salem, OR | Scranton, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.6 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,262 in Scranton | $110,788 in Salem |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,201/mo | $1,028/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,310 | $46,330 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Salem, OR MSA and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA. Metro areas: Salem, OR and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Salem | Scranton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.3 | 67.0 |
| Goods | 105.3 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 104.7 | 106.5 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 103.6 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Salem, OR → Scranton, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.8%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$4,850/yr.
100 Strong offer
Scranton, PA → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$4,850/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Salem, OR is in the Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA pay area; Scranton, PA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Salem, OR to Scranton, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Salem, OR | Scranton, PA | Real change, Salem → Scranton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $66,505 | $61,722 | +2.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $80,465 | $74,678 | +2.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $96,443 | $89,508 | +2.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $114,684 | $106,437 | +2.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $135,522 | $125,776 | +2.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Salem, OR | Scranton, PA | Scranton pay in Salem dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $74,810 | $76,590 | $84,853 (+13.4%) |
| Software Developers | $131,620 | $119,960 | $132,902 (+1.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $87,480 | $70,480 | $78,084 (−10.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $131,750 | $82,650 | $91,566 (−30.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.