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 | Corvallis | Salem | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,315/mo | $1,224/mo | 7.4% higher in A |
| Median home value | $436,000 | $349,500 | 24.7% higher in A |
| Median household income | $61,610 | $67,540 | 8.8% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 104.9 | 104.9 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 113.6 | 110.8 | 2.5% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 101.6 | 101.6 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 101.4 | 101.4 | ≈ 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 Corvallis, you'd need $97,782 in Salem to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Salem, OR is about 2.2% cheaper overall than Corvallis, OR, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 5% lower in Salem than in Corvallis. If you earn $80,000 in Corvallis, you'd need about $78,225 in Salem to keep the same standard of living.