Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Orange, CA
VS
Salem, OR
🏆 Orange leads 13 of 23 categories
Orange
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$109,335 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
60 ✓ Safer
Population
138,728
Salem
Oregon
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$67,540
Violent Crime Index
140⚠ High
Population
175,754 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Orange, CA
Pros
Households earn $41,795 more per year on average
58% less violent crime than Salem
Violent crime is well below the national average (226.1 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.4 pts lower (4.7%)
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 48°F
More college-educated — 40.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $848,200
Higher rents — median is $2,148/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 $499k less ($349,500 vs $848,200)
Rent averages $924/mo less ($1,224 vs $2,148)
13% cheaper overall cost of living than Orange
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 19.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Orange by $41,795/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
Higher unemployment (6.1% vs 4.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Orange
Median Income
$41,795
$109,335 vs $67,540/yr
Orange
Violent Crime
58% lower
226.1 vs 532.2 per 100k
Orange
Unemployment
1.4 pp lower
4.7% vs 6.1% unemployment
Salem
Cost of Living
13% cheaper
COL index 102.4 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Salem
Median Home Value
$499k less
$349,500 vs $848,200
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Orange, 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 | $848,200⚠ High | $349,500⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,148⚠ High | $1,224 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $109,335 ✓ Higher | $67,540 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.5 min | 22.7 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.1% ✓ Higher | 12.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 60 ✓ Safer | 137⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 60 ✓ Safer | 140⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 61 ✓ Safer | 133⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (98) ✓ Better | C+ (89) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.1:1 | 19.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.3% ✓ Higher | 31.0% |
| High School or Higher | 88.2% | 88.5% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Orange Unified | Salem-Keizer SD 24J |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 48.4°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F | 83.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" ✓ Drier | 46.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 1.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 138,728 | 175,754 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.5 ✓ Older | 35.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 58.9% ✓ Higher | 54.9% |
| Under 18 | 20.5% | 23.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.5% | 15.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Orange'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, Orange leads 13 of 23 categories. Orange wins 13 and Salem wins 10. 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 Orange to Salem or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($848,200 vs $349,500 median home), income ($109,335 vs $67,540), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Orange, CA and Salem, OR are about 817 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.