Bend vs Salem
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $416,900 in Salem and $718,400 in Bend.
- Households earn more in Bend ($96,394 vs $75,487 median).
- Salem has the warmer winter: January highs of 48°F vs 43°F.
- Bend gets far more snow: 22 inches a year vs 1.
- Bend is growing faster: +8.2% since 2020 vs +3.6%.
- Commutes are shorter in Bend (16 vs 22 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Bend, OR | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 107,342 | 181,779 |
| Growth since 2020 | +8.2% | +3.6% |
| People per square mile | 3,052 | 3,714 |
| Median age | 40.9 | 36.0 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 53% | 32% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $96,394 | $75,487 |
| Median home value | $718,400 | $416,900 |
| Home value to income | 7.5× | 5.5× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,883 | $1,400 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 103.6 | 103.6 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 110.0 | 110.3 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $77,700 | $77,700 |
| Homeowners | 62% | 56% |
| Top state income tax | 9.9% | 9.9% |
| Combined sales tax | 0% | 0% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 16.3 | 22.0 |
| Work from home | 25% | 16% |
| Take public transit | 0% | 2% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 3.7% | 5.8% |
| Poverty rate | 8.8% | 14.4% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 43° / 25° | 48° / 36° |
| July high / low | 84° / 49° | 84° / 55° |
| Precipitation per year | 11 in | 40 in |
| Snowfall per year | 22 in | 1 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 16 | 18 |
| Nights below freezing | 168 | 49 |
| Comfortable months | 3 | 6 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 84.9 | 95.5 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 89% | 80% |
| Home prices, past year | +0.7% | -0.2% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +29.2% | +27.7% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Bend: June to August. Salem: May to October.
Full monthly tables: Bend weather by month and Salem weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $77,700 in Bend and $77,700 in Salem. Moving from Bend to Salem, you would need about $75,000 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Bend and Salem
180people moved from Deschutes County, OR to Marion County, OR in a year
282moved the other way
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Bend and Salem.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.