City comparison
Salem, OR vs Washington, DC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Washington, DC are 5.1% higher than in Salem, OR. Someone earning $100,000 in Salem, OR would need about $105,100 in Washington, DC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,015 a month in Washington, DC versus $1,201 in Salem, OR. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Washington, DC and 20% in Salem, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,389 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Washington, DC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.2% moving from Salem, OR to Washington, DC ($114,684 → $121,785), while prices change by +5.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.1% in real buying power.
- Salem, OR: price level 103.6 (pricier)
- Washington, DC: price level 108.9 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Salem, OR | Washington, DC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.6 | 108.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,051 in Washington | $95,192 in Salem |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,201/mo | $2,015/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $73,649 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $5,532 (DC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,310 | $71,060 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Salem, OR MSA and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Salem, OR and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Salem | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.3 | 151.1 |
| Goods | 105.3 | 104.8 |
| Utilities | 104.7 | 106.7 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 103.6 | 108.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Salem, OR → Washington, DC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.8%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax −$2,389/yr.
42 Weak offer
Washington, DC → Salem, OR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$2,389/yr.
85 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Salem, OR is in the Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA pay area; Washington, DC is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Salem, OR to Washington, DC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Salem, OR | Washington, DC | Real change, Salem → Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $66,505 | $70,623 | +1.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $80,465 | $85,447 | +1.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $96,443 | $102,415 | +1.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $114,684 | $121,785 | +1.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $135,522 | $143,913 | +1.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Salem, OR | Washington, DC | Washington pay in Salem dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $74,810 | $79,470 | $75,649 (+1.1%) |
| Software Developers | $131,620 | $154,930 | $147,481 (+12.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $87,480 | $102,140 | $97,229 (+11.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $131,750 | $102,710 | $97,772 (−25.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.