01 · the cities
Salem
Salem is the Oregon state capital, smaller and quieter than Portland (less than an hour north), with the Willamette River running through downtown and the surrounding Willamette Valley producing some of the best Pinot Noir in the world. The state capitol is topped by a gold-leaf pioneer statue. Cherry blossoms line the riverfront every spring. Affordable and underrated.
full dispatch→Kennewick
Kennewick is part of the Tri-Cities (with Pasco and Richland), sitting at the confluence of the Columbia, Snake, and Yakima rivers in eastern Washington. The Columbia Valley wine region (Walla Walla is 45 minutes east) is one of the most acclaimed in the country. It's sunny, dry, and much cheaper than the Seattle side. The Hanford Reach is a hauntingly beautiful stretch of the Columbia. Underrated.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,642/mo
$1,686/mo
Median home price
Median home price
$452k
$441k
$11k less than Salem
State income tax
State income tax
8.8%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$5,962/mo
$6,647/mo
Kennewick has $685/mo more gross after rent at $100k
Gross left after rent reflects state income tax but not federal, based on $100k salary. Enter your salary to find your ideal city.
03 · the weather
Pleasant days/yr
Pleasant days/yr
201 days
199 days
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
2 days
26 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
1 days
8 days
days below 20°F per year
Kennewick has 24 more days above 95°F each year than Salem. Kennewick drops below 20°F on 7 more days per year than Salem.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
69 / 100
74 / 100
5.0 pts ahead of Salem
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
0 routes
8 routes
8 more direct routes than Salem
Metro size
Metro size
437k metro
314k metro
Salem and Kennewick have similar event volume.
the verdict
2
Salem
categories won
5
Kennewick
categories won
Kennewick wins on money and lifestyle. Salem has the edge on weather.
run your numbers
How far does your Salem salary go?
Enter your salary to see a full ranked list of cities where you would live better.
see your top citiesWe use a proprietary blend of data from the US Census, Zillow, Ticketmaster, and more.
Walk Score® is a trademark of Walk Score, a Redfin company. How Walk Score works