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Data from U.S. Census Bureau · 2026 · Methodology
CitySpend

Salem, OR

Population: 175,754 (2022) · Mid-Size Cities (100K–250K)

B
68/100

Good fiscal health — above-average across most metrics

Total Spending
$2.8B
Per Capita
$15,959
Total Revenue
$8.4B
Total Debt
$179.1M

Spending Breakdown

Other
33.9%$950.7M
Housing & Community Development
19.0%$533.8M
Hospitals
17.8%$498.1M
Utilities
9.9%$277.8M
Public Welfare
6.9%$193.4M
Parks & Recreation
5.6%$158.0M
Sewerage
2.0%$55.7M
Health
2.0%$54.7M
Highways & Roads
1.8%$50.2M
Fire Protection
1.2%$32.5M

Spending data sourced from the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of State & Local Government Finances. Per-capita comparisons use the Lincoln Institute's Fiscally Standardized Cities methodology for fair cross-city benchmarking.

Revenue Sources

Property Tax
0.1%$5.2M
Sales Tax
0.6%$52.9M
Intergovernmental
11.9%$1.0B
Charges & Fees
5.2%$441.1M
Other
10.7%$898.9M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$185/person
Highways & Roads$285/person
Parks & Recreation$899/person
Health$311/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)77/100
Debt Burden (20%)28/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)85/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)100/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Debt Overview

Total Debt$179.1M
Long-Term Debt$232K
Debt Per Capita$1,019
Cash & Securities$45.4M

Compare Cities

See how Salem stacks up against another city.

vs Portland, ORvs Eugene, ORvs Gresham, OR
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in Oregon

Portland, OR

Pop. 646K

C
Total Spending
$15.3B
Per Capita
$23,675

Eugene, OR

Pop. 177K

C
Total Spending
$2.9B
Per Capita
$16,408

Gresham, OR

Pop. 114K

D
Total Spending
$1.2B
Per Capita
$10,840

Hillsboro, OR

Pop. 107K

D
Total Spending
$2.0B
Per Capita
$18,698

Compare Salem With

Portland, OR

Spending: $23,675/person · Grade: C

Eugene, OR

Spending: $16,408/person · Grade: C

Gresham, OR

Spending: $10,840/person · Grade: D

Hillsboro, OR

Spending: $18,698/person · Grade: D

Frequently Asked Questions

Salem, OR spends $15,959 per resident, based on total expenditures of $2.8B for a population of 175,754. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of B (68/100).

Salem, OR has total expenditures of $2.8B and total revenue of $8.4B. The city carries $179.1M in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Salem, OR employs 0 government workers, of which 0 are full-time. The average government salary is $0, with 0.0 employees per 10,000 residents.

Salem, OR has a Fiscal Health Score of B (68/100). This score evaluates budget balance, debt burden, pension funding, spending efficiency, revenue diversity, and 3-year fiscal trajectory compared to peer cities of similar population.

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