Salem, OR vs Corvallis, OR
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Salem, OR and Corvallis, OR spend within 10.1% of each other per resident — $15,959 versus $14,492 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
Salem, OR edges Corvallis, OR on the Fiscal Health Score by 2 points — 68/100 (grade B) to 66/100 (grade B). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
On debt, Corvallis, OR carries the lighter load at $184 per resident versus $1,019 for Salem, OR. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Salem, OR at $899 per resident and in Corvallis, OR at $1,073.
They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Salem, OR at 12% of total revenue, whereas Corvallis, OR relies most on other revenue at 108%.
Summary
Salem spends 10.1% more per capita than Corvallis ($1,467/person difference). Salem, OR has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 68/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $29 | $931 |
| Sales Tax | $301 | $359 |
| Intergovernmental | $5,706 | $4,229 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,510 | $1,989 |
| Other | $5,114 | $4,581 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $185 | $298 |
| Highways & Roads | $285 | $146 |
| Public Welfare | $1,100 | $276 |
| Health | $311 | $880 |
| Hospitals | $2,834 | $707 |
| Parks & Recreation | $899 | $1,073 |
| Housing | $3,037 | $2,056 |
| Sewerage | $317 | $0 |
| Utilities | $1,581 | $810 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $701 |
| Other | $5,409 | $7,543 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.