City comparison
Salem, OR vs Tuscaloosa, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 18.2% higher than in Tuscaloosa, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tuscaloosa, AL would need about $118,200 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,201 a month in Salem, OR versus $972 in Tuscaloosa, AL. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Salem, OR and 16% in Tuscaloosa, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,185 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Tuscaloosa, AL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.3% moving from Salem, OR to Tuscaloosa, AL ($114,684 → $107,510), while prices change by −15.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.8% in real buying power.
- Salem, OR: price level 103.6 (pricier)
- Tuscaloosa, AL: price level 87.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Salem, OR | Tuscaloosa, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.6 | 87.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $84,634 in Tuscaloosa | $118,156 in Salem |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,201/mo | $972/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,310 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL |
Rent areas: Salem, OR MSA and Tuscaloosa, AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Salem, OR and Tuscaloosa, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Salem | Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.3 | 58.2 |
| Goods | 105.3 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 104.7 | 84.4 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 103.6 | 87.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Salem, OR → Tuscaloosa, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +18.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$3,185/yr.
100 Strong offer
Tuscaloosa, AL → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.4%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,185/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Salem, OR is in the Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA pay area; Tuscaloosa, AL is in Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Salem, OR to Tuscaloosa, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Salem, OR | Tuscaloosa, AL | Real change, Salem → Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $66,505 | $62,344 | +10.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $80,465 | $75,431 | +10.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $96,443 | $90,410 | +10.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $114,684 | $107,510 | +10.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $135,522 | $127,044 | +10.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Salem, OR | Tuscaloosa, AL | Tuscaloosa pay in Salem dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $74,810 | $60,220 | $71,154 (−4.9%) |
| Software Developers | $131,620 | $104,870 | $123,910 (−5.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $87,480 | $71,690 | $84,706 (−3.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $131,750 | $75,250 | $88,913 (−32.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.