A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,210 in Bangor, ME versus $1,170 in Salem, OR. Overall, Salem, OR is roughly 3% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Bangor, ME, driven mainly by electricity costs.
Median household income is $58,096 in Bangor, ME and $71,900 in Salem, OR — about 19% higher in Salem, OR. Maine has a top state income tax rate of 7.15% and a 5.5% state sales tax; Oregon has a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax.
Rent
Buying a Home
Income
People & Lifestyle
Crime (per 100k/yr)
FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.
Climate
Gas
Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs West Coast (PADD 5).
Utilities
Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.
Groceries
Average prices — Northeast vs West (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.
State Taxes
Bangor vs Salem — FAQ
- Is it cheaper to live in Bangor or Salem?
- Salem, OR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,170 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 3% below Bangor, ME's $1,210, mainly because of electricity costs.
- How much more do you need to earn to live in Bangor than in Salem?
- To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $36,000 a year in Bangor versus $40,000 in Salem.
- Which has lower taxes, Bangor or Salem?
- Bangor is taxed under Maine's rules (a top state income tax rate of 7.15% and a 5.5% 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).