HEAD TO HEAD
Portland vs Salem
Salem leads Portland on 4 of 5 factors — but the right pick depends on your priorities.
Portland, OR
wins 1 of 5 factors
Salem, OR
wins 4 of 5 factors
Match scores, side by side
| Factor | Portland | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Affordable to buy | 70 | 77 ◆ |
| Affordable to rent | 66 | 72 ◆ |
| Climate comfort | 58 | 59 ◆ |
| Plenty of sunshine | 33 | 39 ◆ |
| Big-city amenities | 94 ◆ | 70 |
By the numbers
| Figure | Portland | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $552K | $455K |
| Typical rent | $1,797/mo | $1,628/mo |
| Average temperature | 10.4°C | 10.7°C |
| Sunshine (solar energy) | 3.67 kWh/m²/day | 3.88 kWh/m²/day |
| Metro size rank (US) | #25 | #126 |
Home & rent Zillow, May 2026 · climate & sunshine NASA POWER climatology. Scores are normalised 0–100 across all metros; higher is better. A research aid, not advice.