Residential comparison · 13 facts
Blacksburg, VA vs Salem, VA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Blacksburg needs about $82,500 in Salem to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Salem, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $87,500 in Blacksburg.
A few differences
- Salem is higher on median household income ($66,725 vs $50,182).
- Salem is lower on cost of living index (90 vs 103).
- Salem is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,110/mo vs $1,300/mo).
Blacksburg vs Salem · facet by facet
| Facet | Blacksburg, VA | Salem, VA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $446,300 | $258,600 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,300/mo | $1,110/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.87% | 0.87% |
| State & local income tax | 4.36% | 4.36% |
| Sales tax | 5.75% | 5.75% |
| Cost of living index | 103 | 90 |
| Groceries index | 100 | 100 |
| Utilities | $175/mo | $175/mo |
| Median household income | $50,182 | $66,725 |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% | 2.9% |
| Crime index | 32/100 | 32/100 |
| School rating | 6.8/10 | 6.8/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 210 days | 210 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Blacksburg, VA · Salem, VA
Questions & answers
- Is Blacksburg cheaper than Salem?
- Salem has the lower day-to-day cost index (90 vs 103 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Salem equals $85,000 in Blacksburg?
- A household earning $85,000 in Blacksburg needs about $82,500 in Salem to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Salem lifestyle costs about $87,500 in Blacksburg.