Phoenix 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 $420,700 in Phoenix.
- Households earn more in Phoenix ($81,332 vs $75,487 median).
- Phoenix has the warmer winter: January highs of 68°F vs 48°F.
- Phoenix has more scorching days: 173 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 18.
- Commutes are shorter in Salem (22 vs 26 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Phoenix, AZ | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 1,665,481 | 181,779 |
| Growth since 2020 | +3.6% | +3.6% |
| People per square mile | 3,213 | 3,714 |
| Median age | 34.9 | 36.0 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34% | 32% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $81,332 | $75,487 |
| Median home value | $420,700 | $416,900 |
| Home value to income | 5.2× | 5.5× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,582 | $1,400 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 103.3 | 103.6 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 121.2 | 110.3 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $77,500 | $77,700 |
| Homeowners | 57% | 56% |
| Top state income tax | 2.5% | 9.9% |
| Combined sales tax | 8.54% | 0% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 25.6 | 22.0 |
| Work from home | 19% | 16% |
| Take public transit | 2% | 2% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 5% | 5.8% |
| Poverty rate | 13.7% | 14.4% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 68° / 46° | 48° / 36° |
| July high / low | 107° / 85° | 84° / 55° |
| Precipitation per year | 7 in | 40 in |
| Snowfall per year | 0 in | 1 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 173 | 18 |
| Nights below freezing | 1 | 49 |
| Comfortable months | 6 | 6 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Very High | Relatively High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 99.9 | 95.5 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 7% | 80% |
| Home prices, past year | +0.8% | -0.2% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +35.8% | +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: Phoenix: November to April. Salem: May to October.
Full monthly tables: Phoenix 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 $77,500 in Phoenix and $77,700 in Salem. Moving from Phoenix to Salem, you would need about $75,200 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Phoenix and Salem
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Phoenix and Salem.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.