Salem vs Springfield
Salem, Oregon versus Springfield, Oregon: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Salem and Springfield score about the same overall (50 vs 51 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Salem | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $68k | $61k |
| Cost of Living | $55k | $53k |
| Home Value | $350k | $293k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.06% | 1.01% |
| Income Tax | 9.90% | 9.90% |
| Sales Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 15.41% | 14.78% |
| Unemployment | 6.1% | 6.1% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 42°F | 41°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 69°F | 68°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.5 in | 45.0 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.1 in | 3.4 in |
| Sunny Days | 206 days | 209 days |
| Summer Humidity | 52°F | 52°F |
| Comfortable Days | 108 days | 91 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 83.5 | 53.4 |
| Air Quality | 40 AQI | 38 AQI |
| School Quality | 87.0 | 60.4 |
| Violent Crime | 1200/100k | 1003/100k |
| Property Crime | 3637/100k | 3288/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 175,754 | 61,740 |
| Median Age | 35.9 | 37.3 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.46 | 0.35 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.03 | 1.03 |
| Political Leaning | Even | D+25 |
| White (%) | 65.2% | 76.1% |
| Black (%) | 1.3% | 0.8% |
| Hispanic (%) | 22.8% | 13.6% |
| Asian (%) | 3.3% | 1.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 7.3% | 7.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 23 min | 20 min |
| Walkability | 16.5/20 | 12.8/20 |
| Airport Distance | 50 mi | 107 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 90.9% | 90.5% |
| Amenities Nearby | 29.25 | 34.50 |
| 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 Salem or Springfield more affordable?
- Springfield has the lower cost of living: its index is $53k, compared with Salem's $55k and Springfield's $53k. Median rent is $1k in Salem versus $1k in Springfield.
- Is Salem or Springfield safer?
- Springfield has the lower violent crime rate. Salem reports 1200/100k and Springfield reports 1003/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Salem or Springfield?
- The median home value is $350k in Salem and $293k in Springfield, so homes are more affordable in Springfield.