Cost of living in Salem research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Salem is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Oregon, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Salem is 117, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Salem is 1.2x higher than the national average.
Salem ranks as the #48 cheapest in Oregon out of 99.
Salem ranks as the #4,212 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Salem is $431,251.
The median income in Salem is $71,900.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Salem has an overall cost of living index of 117, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Oregon, Salem has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Oregon's index of 112.
The standard of living in Salem ranks as #48 most affordable out of the 99 places we measured in Oregon. By definition, that implies Salem ranks as the #51 most expensive place in the Beaver State.
For more reading on life in Salem, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Salem. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Salem is 107.
The Groceries index in Salem is 111.
The Health index in Salem is 110.
The Housing index in Salem is 134.
The Transportation index in Salem is 126.
The Utilities index in Salem is 98.
| Living Expense | Salem | Oregon | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 117 | 112 | 100 | |
| Services | 107 | 107 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 111 | 107 | 100 | |
| Health | 110 | 104 | 100 | |
| Housing | 134 | 124 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 126 | 116 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 98 | 97 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Oregon, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Salem is $431,251.
The Median Rent in Salem is $1,323.
The Median Income in Salem is $71,900.
The Home Value To Income in Salem is 6.0x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Salem is 0.22x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Salem. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Keizer, OR has a cost of living index of 119, 1.0x Salem.
Woodburn, OR has a cost of living index of 112, 1.0x Salem.
Hayesville, OR has a cost of living index of 111, 0.9x Salem.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keizer, OR | 39,013 | 119 | 1.0x |
| Woodburn, OR | 26,845 | 112 | 1.0x |
| Hayesville, OR | 22,309 | 111 | 0.9x |
| Dallas, OR | 17,214 | 116 | 1.0x |
| Four Corners, OR | 16,168 | 111 | 0.9x |
| Monmouth, OR | 11,176 | 113 | 1.0x |
| Silverton, OR | 10,445 | 120 | 1.0x |
| Independence, OR | 10,088 | 113 | 1.0x |
| Stayton, OR | 8,223 | 118 | 1.0x |