City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Boise City | Salem | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,223/mo | $1,224/mo | 0.1% lower in A |
| Median home value | $401,800 | $349,500 | 15.0% higher in A |
| Median household income | $76,402 | $67,540 | 13.1% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 102.2 | 102.2 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 122.0 | 122.0 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 100.6 | 100.6 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 98.6 | 98.7 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Boise City, you'd need $100,040 in Salem to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Boise City and Salem have nearly identical overall cost-of-living indices. If you earn $80,000 in Boise City, you'd need about $80,032 in Salem to keep the same standard of living.