Eugene vs Salem
Eugene, Oregon versus Salem, Oregon: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Eugene and Salem score about the same overall (48 vs 50 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Eugene | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $61k | $68k |
| Cost of Living | $53k | $55k |
| Home Value | $406k | $350k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.05% | 1.06% |
| Income Tax | 9.90% | 9.90% |
| Sales Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 16.81% | 15.41% |
| Unemployment | 7.1% | 6.1% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 42°F | 42°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 68°F | 69°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 45.1 in | 46.5 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.7 in | 1.1 in |
| Sunny Days | 209 days | 206 days |
| Summer Humidity | 52°F | 52°F |
| Comfortable Days | 87 days | 108 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 75.6 | 83.5 |
| Air Quality | 44 AQI | 40 AQI |
| School Quality | 91.2 | 87.0 |
| Violent Crime | 1127/100k | 1200/100k |
| Property Crime | 3436/100k | 3637/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 176,755 | 175,754 |
| Median Age | 35.2 | 35.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.34 | 0.46 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.95 | 1.03 |
| Political Leaning | D+25 | Even |
| White (%) | 76.9% | 65.2% |
| Black (%) | 1.4% | 1.3% |
| Hispanic (%) | 10.4% | 22.8% |
| Asian (%) | 3.9% | 3.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 7.5% | 7.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 19 min | 23 min |
| Walkability | 14.5/20 | 16.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 109 mi | 50 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 91.6% | 90.9% |
| Amenities Nearby | 35.70 | 29.25 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Eugene or Salem more affordable?
- Eugene has the lower cost of living: its index is $53k, compared with Eugene's $53k and Salem's $55k. Median rent is $1k in Eugene versus $1k in Salem.
- Is Eugene or Salem safer?
- Eugene has the lower violent crime rate. Eugene reports 1127/100k and Salem reports 1200/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Eugene or Salem?
- The median home value is $406k in Eugene and $350k in Salem, so homes are more affordable in Salem.