Is it cheaper to live in Concord or Salem?

Salem, OR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,170 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 17% below Concord, NH's $1,410, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $45,000 a year in Concord versus $40,000 in Salem.

Which has lower taxes, Concord or Salem?

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

Concord vs Salem Cost of Living 2026

Concord

New Hampshire

$1,410/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 $1,410 in Concord, NH versus $1,170 in Salem, OR. Overall, Salem, OR is roughly 17% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Concord, NH, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $83,701 in Concord, NH and $71,900 in Salem, OR — about 14% higher in Concord, NH. New Hampshire has no state income tax and no state sales tax; Oregon has a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax.

Concord, NH

Salem, OR

Rent

Studio

$876

$1,075

+23% in Salem, OR

1 Bedroom

$1,134

$989

+13% in Concord, NH

2 Bedroom

$1,475

$1,337

+9% in Concord, NH

3 Bedroom

$1,769

$1,778

+1% in Salem, OR

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$323,700

$382,400

+18% in Salem, OR

Income

Median Household Income

$83,701

$71,900

+14% in Concord, NH

Metro Median Wage (annual)

—

$55,310

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

40.7 yr

35.7 yr

+5.0 yr in Concord, NH

Homeownership

57.4%

55.7%

+1.7 pp in Concord, NH

Bachelor's+ (25+)

40.1%

31.4%

+8.7 pp in Concord, NH

Avg Commute

23.2 min

22.4 min

+0.8 min in Concord, NH

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

180.7

540.6

+199% in Salem, OR

Property Crime

1,251.5

2,878.6

+130% 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

46.4°F

53.0°F

+6.6°F in Salem, OR

Annual Precipitation

40.6 in

39.7 in

+0.9 in in Concord, NH

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

$5.21/gal

+32% in Salem, OR

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

27.0

16.3

+40% in Concord, NH

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$21.67

$21.60

+0% in Concord, NH

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

$4.82

+12% in Salem, OR

Bread (lb)

$1.92

$2.04

+6% in Salem, OR

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

about equal

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.90

$7.36

+7% in Salem, OR

Chicken (lb)

$2.19

$2.01

+8% in Concord, NH

Bananas (lb)

$0.69

$0.70

about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NH / OR)

None

about equal

Income Tax (top rate)

None

9.90%

+9.9 pp in OR

Concord vs Salem — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Concord or Salem?: Salem, OR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,170 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 17% below Concord, NH's $1,410, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Concord than in Salem?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $45,000 a year in Concord versus $40,000 in Salem.
Which has lower taxes, Concord or Salem?: Concord is taxed under New Hampshire's rules (no state income tax and no 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).