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 | Salem | Smyrna | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,224/mo | $1,553/mo | 21.2% lower in A |
| Median home value | $349,500 | $380,100 | 8.1% lower in A |
| Median household income | $67,540 | $92,258 | 26.8% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 104.9 | 99.9 | 5.0% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 110.8 | 95.8 | 15.7% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 101.6 | 97.9 | 3.8% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 101.4 | 96.1 | 5.5% higher in A |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Salem, you'd need $99,962 in Smyrna to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Salem and Smyrna have nearly identical overall cost-of-living indices. Housing costs are roughly 7% lower in Salem than in Smyrna. If you earn $80,000 in Salem, you'd need about $79,969 in Smyrna to keep the same standard of living.