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→Knoxville
Knoxville is the gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains (the most-visited national park in the country, 30 minutes east), the University of Tennessee's Vol energy, and the gold-roofed Sunsphere left over from the 1982 World's Fair. Market Square downtown is brick, patios, and a Saturday farmers market that takes over the whole space. The food and bar scene has come into its own. The mountains do the heavy lifting.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,642/mo
$1,731/mo
$89/mo more than Salem (5%)
Median home price
Median home price
$452k
$364k
$88k less than Salem
State income tax
State income tax
8.8%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$5,962/mo
$6,602/mo
Knoxville has $640/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
189 days
12 fewer than Salem
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
2 days
3 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
1 days
9 days
days below 20°F per year
Knoxville drops below 20°F on 8 more days per year than Salem.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
69 / 100
69 / 100
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
0 routes
17 routes
17 more direct routes than Salem
Metro size
Metro size
437k metro
947k metro
Salem has 42.0x fewer events per month than Knoxville.
the verdict
3
Salem
categories won
4
Knoxville
categories won
Knoxville 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