Is it cheaper to live in Nashua or Salem?

Salem, OR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,170 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 30% below Nashua, NH's $1,660, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $55,000 a year in Nashua versus $40,000 in Salem.

Which has lower taxes, Nashua or Salem?

Nashua 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).

Nashua vs Salem Cost of Living 2026

Nashua

New Hampshire

$1,660/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 $1,660 in Nashua, NH versus $1,170 in Salem, OR. Overall, Salem, OR is roughly 30% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Nashua, NH, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $92,457 in Nashua, NH and $71,900 in Salem, OR — about 22% higher in Nashua, 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.

Nashua, NH

Salem, OR

Rent

Studio

$1,127

$1,075

+5% in Nashua, NH

1 Bedroom

$1,383

$989

+28% in Nashua, NH

2 Bedroom

$1,699

$1,337

+21% in Nashua, NH

3 Bedroom

$1,951

$1,778

+9% in Nashua, NH

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$373,100

$382,400

+2% in Salem, OR

Income

Median Household Income

$92,457

$71,900

+22% in Nashua, NH

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$56,530

$55,310

+2% in Nashua, NH

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

39.7 yr

35.7 yr

+4.0 yr in Nashua, NH

Homeownership

56.4%

55.7%

+0.7 pp in Nashua, NH

Bachelor's+ (25+)

40.5%

31.4%

+9.1 pp in Nashua, NH

Avg Commute

25.3 min

22.4 min

+2.9 min in Nashua, NH

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

164.9

540.6

+228% in Salem, OR

Property Crime

1,269

2,878.6

+127% 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

49.2°F

53.0°F

+3.8°F in Salem, OR

Annual Precipitation

44.6 in

39.7 in

+4.9 in in Nashua, 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 Nashua, NH

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$21.67

$21.60

+0% in Nashua, 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 Nashua, 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

Nashua vs Salem — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Nashua or Salem?: Salem, OR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,170 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 30% below Nashua, NH's $1,660, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Nashua than in Salem?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $55,000 a year in Nashua versus $40,000 in Salem.
Which has lower taxes, Nashua or Salem?: Nashua 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).