City comparison
Salem, OR vs South Bend, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 11.6% higher than in South Bend, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in South Bend, IN would need about $111,600 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,201 a month in Salem, OR versus $1,105 in South Bend, IN. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Salem, OR and 17% in South Bend, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,000 a year higher in Salem, OR than in South Bend, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.2% moving from Salem, OR to South Bend, IN ($114,684 → $106,437), while prices change by −10.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.6% in real buying power.
- Salem, OR: price level 103.6 (pricier)
- South Bend, IN: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Salem, OR | South Bend, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.6 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,589 in South Bend | $111,621 in Salem |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,201/mo | $1,105/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,310 | $46,540 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Salem, OR MSA and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Salem, OR and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Salem | South Bend |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.3 | 74.6 |
| Goods | 105.3 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 104.7 | 87.7 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 99.2 |
| Overall | 103.6 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Salem, OR → South Bend, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$5,000/yr.
100 Strong offer
South Bend, IN → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.4%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$5,000/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Salem, OR is in the Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA pay area; South Bend, IN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Salem, OR to South Bend, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Salem, OR | South Bend, IN | Real change, Salem → South Bend |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $66,505 | $61,722 | +3.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $80,465 | $74,678 | +3.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $96,443 | $89,508 | +3.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $114,684 | $106,437 | +3.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $135,522 | $125,776 | +3.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Salem, OR | South Bend, IN | South Bend pay in Salem dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $74,810 | $58,180 | $64,941 (−13.2%) |
| Software Developers | $131,620 | $95,500 | $106,598 (−19.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $87,480 | $77,940 | $86,997 (−0.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $131,750 | $93,540 | $104,410 (−20.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.