Is it cheaper to live in Fort Worth or Salem?

Salem, OR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,170 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 16% below Fort Worth, TX's $1,390, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $48,000 a year in Fort Worth versus $40,000 in Salem.

Which has lower taxes, Fort Worth or Salem?

Fort Worth 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).

Fort Worth vs Salem Cost of Living 2026

Fort Worth

Texas

$1,390/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 $1,390 in Fort Worth, TX versus $1,170 in Salem, OR. Overall, Salem, OR is roughly 16% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Fort Worth, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $76,602 in Fort Worth, TX and $71,900 in Salem, OR — about 6% higher in Fort Worth, 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.

Fort Worth, TX

Salem, OR

Rent

Studio

$1,310

$1,075

+18% in Fort Worth, TX

1 Bedroom

$1,191

$989

+17% in Fort Worth, TX

2 Bedroom

$1,393

$1,337

+4% in Fort Worth, TX

3 Bedroom

$1,721

$1,778

+3% in Salem, OR

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$277,300

$382,400

+38% in Salem, OR

Income

Median Household Income

$76,602

$71,900

+6% in Fort Worth, TX

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$51,440

$55,310

+8% in Salem, OR

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

33.4 yr

35.7 yr

+2.3 yr in Salem, OR

Homeownership

56.7%

55.7%

+1.0 pp in Fort Worth, TX

Bachelor's+ (25+)

31.7%

31.4%

+0.3 pp in Fort Worth, TX

Avg Commute

26.9 min

22.4 min

+4.5 min in Fort Worth, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

465.2

540.6

+16% in Salem, OR

Property Crime

2,735.7

2,878.6

+5% 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

65.7°F

53.0°F

+12.7°F in Fort Worth, TX

Annual Precipitation

36.1 in

39.7 in

+3.6 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)

$2.00

—

Adult base one-way fare — Trinity Metro vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

16.4

16.3

+1% in Fort Worth, TX

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$30.48

$20.59

+32% in Fort Worth, 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 Fort Worth, 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

Fort Worth vs Salem — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Fort Worth or Salem?: Salem, OR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,170 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 16% below Fort Worth, TX's $1,390, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Fort Worth than in Salem?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $48,000 a year in Fort Worth versus $40,000 in Salem.
Which has lower taxes, Fort Worth or Salem?: Fort Worth 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).