Is it cheaper to live in Arlington or Salem?

Salem, OR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,170 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 15% below Arlington, TX's $1,380, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Arlington than in Salem?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $47,000 a year in Arlington versus $40,000 in Salem.

Which has lower taxes, Arlington or Salem?

Arlington is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Salem under Oregon's (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax).

Arlington vs Salem Cost of Living 2026

Arlington

Texas

$1,380/mo est.

Salem

Oregon

$1,170/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,380 in Arlington, TX versus $1,170 in Salem, OR. Overall, Salem, OR is roughly 15% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Arlington, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $73,519 in Arlington, TX and $71,900 in Salem, OR — about 2% higher in Arlington, TX. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Oregon has a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax.

Arlington, TX

Salem, OR

Rent

Studio

$1,088

$1,075

+1% in Arlington, TX

1 Bedroom

$1,183

$989

+16% in Arlington, TX

2 Bedroom

$1,410

$1,337

+5% in Arlington, TX

3 Bedroom

$1,819

$1,778

+2% in Arlington, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$276,400

$382,400

+38% in Salem, OR

Income

Median Household Income

$73,519

$71,900

+2% in Arlington, TX

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$51,440

$55,310

+8% in Salem, OR

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

33.6 yr

35.7 yr

+2.1 yr in Salem, OR

Homeownership

54.8%

55.7%

+0.9 pp in Salem, OR

Bachelor's+ (25+)

33.1%

31.4%

+1.7 pp in Arlington, TX

Avg Commute

26.7 min

22.4 min

+4.3 min in Arlington, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

494.2

540.6

+9% in Salem, OR

Property Crime

2,434.5

2,878.6

+18% in Salem, OR

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

65.4°F

53.0°F

+12.4°F in Arlington, TX

Annual Precipitation

39.6 in

39.7 in

+0.1 in in Salem, OR

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.62/gal

$5.09/gal

+41% in Salem, OR

Area: Texas vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

N/A

—

Adult base one-way fare — Arlington On-Demand (Via) vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

16.4

16.3

+1% in Arlington, TX

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$30.48

$20.59

+32% in Arlington, TX

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.00

$4.82

+20% in Salem, OR

Bread (lb)

$1.75

$2.04

+17% in Salem, OR

Eggs (doz)

$2.21

$2.19

+1% in Arlington, TX

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.45

$7.36

+14% in Salem, OR

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.01

+6% in Salem, OR

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.70

+14% in Salem, OR

Average prices — South vs West (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / OR)

6.25%

None

+6.3 pp in TX

Income Tax (top rate)

None

9.90%

+9.9 pp in OR

Arlington vs Salem — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Arlington or Salem?: Salem, OR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,170 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 15% below Arlington, TX's $1,380, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Arlington than in Salem?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $47,000 a year in Arlington versus $40,000 in Salem.
Which has lower taxes, Arlington or Salem?: Arlington is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Salem under Oregon's (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).