Is it cheaper to live in Salem or Wilmington?

Salem, OR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,170 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 5% below Wilmington, DE's $1,230, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $40,000 a year in Salem versus $41,000 in Wilmington.

Which has lower taxes, Salem or Wilmington?

Salem is taxed under Oregon's rules (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax); Wilmington under Delaware's (a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no state sales tax).

Salem vs Wilmington Cost of Living 2026

Salem

Oregon

$1,170/mo est.

Wilmington

Delaware

$1,230/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,170 in Salem, OR versus $1,230 in Wilmington, DE. Overall, Salem, OR is roughly 5% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Wilmington, DE, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $71,900 in Salem, OR and $55,269 in Wilmington, DE — about 23% higher in Salem, OR. Oregon has a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax; Delaware has a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no state sales tax.

Salem, OR

Wilmington, DE

Rent

Studio

$1,075

$1,103

+3% in Wilmington, DE

1 Bedroom

$989

$1,024

+4% in Wilmington, DE

2 Bedroom

$1,337

$1,213

+9% in Salem, OR

3 Bedroom

$1,778

$1,394

+22% in Salem, OR

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$382,400

$224,500

+41% in Salem, OR

Income

Median Household Income

$71,900

$55,269

+23% in Salem, OR

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$55,310

$54,310

+2% in Salem, OR

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

35.7 yr

37.0 yr

+1.3 yr in Wilmington, DE

Homeownership

55.7%

46.0%

+9.7 pp in Salem, OR

Bachelor's+ (25+)

31.4%

33.1%

+1.7 pp in Wilmington, DE

Avg Commute

22.4 min

23.0 min

+0.6 min in Wilmington, DE

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

540.6

1,138.2

+111% in Wilmington, DE

Property Crime

2,878.6

3,182.4

+11% in Wilmington, DE

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

53.0°F

54.9°F

+1.9°F in Wilmington, DE

Annual Precipitation

39.7 in

43.1 in

+3.4 in in Wilmington, DE

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$5.09/gal

$3.86/gal

+24% in Salem, OR

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

16.3

19.4

+19% in Wilmington, DE

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$20.59

$22.51

+9% in Wilmington, DE

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.00

+17% in Salem, OR

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.75

+14% in Salem, OR

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$2.21

+1% in Wilmington, DE

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.45

+12% in Salem, OR

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$1.90

+6% in Salem, OR

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Salem, OR

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (OR / DE)

None

about equal

Income Tax (top rate)

9.90%

6.60%

+3.3 pp in OR

Salem vs Wilmington — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Salem or Wilmington?: Salem, OR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,170 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 5% below Wilmington, DE's $1,230, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Salem than in Wilmington?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $40,000 a year in Salem versus $41,000 in Wilmington.
Which has lower taxes, Salem or Wilmington?: Salem is taxed under Oregon's rules (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax); Wilmington under Delaware's (a top state income tax rate of 6.60% 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).