Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Huntington Beach, CA
VS
Salem, OR
🏆 Huntington Beach leads 16 of 23 categories
Huntington Beach
California
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$114,747 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
55 ✓ Safer
Population
197,481 ✓ Larger
Salem
Oregon
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$67,540
Violent Crime Index
140⚠ High
Population
175,754
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Huntington Beach, CA
Pros
Households earn $47,207 more per year on average
61% less violent crime than Salem
Violent crime is well below the national average (207.3 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 46.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (5.4%)
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 48°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $976,800
Higher rents — median is $2,318/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Cost of living runs 13% higher than Salem
Salem, OR
Pros
Homes cost $627k less ($349,500 vs $976,800)
Rent averages $1094/mo less ($1,224 vs $2,318)
13% cheaper overall cost of living than Huntington Beach
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 19.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Huntington Beach by $47,207/yr
Violent crime (532.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2803.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Huntington Beach
Median Income
$47,207
$114,747 vs $67,540/yr
Huntington Beach
Violent Crime
61% lower
207.3 vs 532.2 per 100k
Huntington Beach
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
5.4% vs 6.1% unemployment
Salem
Cost of Living
13% cheaper
COL index 102.4 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Salem
Median Home Value
$627k less
$349,500 vs $976,800
Salem
Summer Heat
4.6°F warmer
July avg high 83.5°F vs 78.9°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Huntington Beach, CA | Salem, OR |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 102.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $976,800⚠ High | $349,500⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,318⚠ High | $1,224 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $114,747 ✓ Higher | $67,540 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.7 min⚠ High | 22.7 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.6% ✓ Higher | 12.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 71 ✓ Safer | 137⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 55 ✓ Safer | 140⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 95 ✓ Safer | 133⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (97) ✓ Better | C+ (89) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.4:1 | 19.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 46.7% ✓ Higher | 31.0% |
| High School or Higher | 93.5% ✓ Higher | 88.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Huntington Beach City Elementary | Salem-Keizer SD 24J |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.0°F ✓ Warmer | 48.4°F |
| Avg High — July | 78.9°F | 83.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.2" ✓ Drier | 46.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 1.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 197,481 ✓ Larger | 175,754 |
| Median Age | 43.3 ✓ Older | 35.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.7% ✓ Higher | 54.9% |
| Under 18 | 17.9% | 23.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 18.7% ✓ More | 15.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Huntington Beach's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Salem's 102.4 (US average = 100).
Salem is 13% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Huntington Beach leads 16 of 23 categories. Huntington Beach wins 16 and Salem wins 7. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Huntington Beach to Salem or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($976,800 vs $349,500 median home), income ($114,747 vs $67,540), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Huntington Beach, CA and Salem, OR are about 820 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.