Cost of Living: Salem, OR vs Hillsboro, OR

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $3,939/mo in Salem, OR versus $4,006/mo in Hillsboro, OR. In the model, rent is about 19.29% of gross in Salem, OR versus 27.63% in Hillsboro, OR, so Salem, OR tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Salem, OR
$3,939/mo
Income level: near
Take-home in Hillsboro, OR
$4,006/mo
Income level: below
Rent share (1BR) in Salem, OR
19.29%
COLI tier: mid-range
Rent share (1BR) in Hillsboro, OR
27.63%
COLI tier: mid-range

Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Salem, OR and Hillsboro, OR.

At a glance

  • Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Hillsboro, OR
  • Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Salem, OR
  • Lower home prices: Salem, OR
  • Higher median household income: Hillsboro, OR

Cost of Living Index

Salem, OR: 104.2 (U.S. = 100) · Hillsboro, OR: 100 (U.S. = 100)

Hillsboro, OR has a lower cost-of-living index than Salem, OR, so a given salary generally stretches further there.

Median Rent

Salem, OR: $1,257/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Hillsboro, OR: $1,802/mo

Median rent in Hillsboro, OR is $545/mo higher than in Salem, OR.

Median Home Price

Salem, OR: $382,400 · Hillsboro, OR: $483,400

Median home price in Hillsboro, OR is $101,000 higher than in Salem, OR.

Median Household Income

Salem, OR: $71,900 · Hillsboro, OR: $103,207

Hillsboro, OR has a higher median household income than Salem, OR by $31,307.

Salem, OR overview · Hillsboro, OR overview · Popular comparisons