Demand-Backed Comparison

Compare Medford vs Salem on cost, climate, safety, and daily life

People have logged this comparison 8 times on WhyThere. The cards open full city pages. The charts and matrix below are the fast side-by-side read on housing, climate, walkability, safety, schools, parks, and day-to-day tradeoffs.

MedfordSalem
Medford
Photo by Adrien King on Unsplash

Medford

Oregon

City page
Salem
Photo by Dan Meyers on Unsplash

Salem

Oregon

City page

What Stands Out

A quick read on this comparison

Deterministic summaries based on the data in view.

Biggest tradeoff: Medford, Oregon

Medford, Oregon is the sharpest split in this comparison: strong on sunshine, weaker on climate comfort.

Potential dealbreaker: Medford, Oregon

Medford, Oregon needs a closer look before you get too attached, especially on tax burden.

Comparison Matrix

City
Route
General Info
Population79,805175,535
Population DensityN/A3.6k /sq mi
Center Elevation1,381 ft(421 m)161 ft(49 m)
Housing & Wealth
Median Home
$397,600
$427,939
Median Rent
$1,632
$1,638
Median Income$65,647$67,540
Rent Burden30%29%
Climate & Risks
Days with 5+ Hours of Sun306 days/yr270 days/yr
Avg. High68°F64°F
Avg. Low45°F45°F
Comfort Score62/100Good71/100Good
Temp Swing47°F40°F
Annual Precipitation33"(84 cm)49"(124 cm)
Annual Snowfall30"(76 cm)10"(25 cm)
Air Quality
Typical: 352024 modeled avg · 0 days > 100
Typical: 312024 modeled avg · 0 days > 100
Infrastructure & Lifestyle
Transit Score
40
N/A
Safety Score67 / 10064 / 100
School Rating5.5/104.6/10
Flood Risk (FEMA)
minimalMinimal Risk
minimalMinimal Risk
Central Tract Wildfire Risk
minimalMinimal
minimalMinimal
Internet Access
Fiber: 29%Cable: 91%
Fiber: 12%Cable: 94%
Demographics
Median Age38.1 years35.9 years
College Educated28%31%
Remote Workers9%12%
Nature Access
Local Nature & Reserves
Finding...
Finding...
Scouting & Local Help
Housing and local helpA practical next step once someone starts picturing the move.
Featured Local Partner
AD
Realtor
Realtor spot available
For an agent, brokerage, or relocation team that can answer housing questions in Medford.
One featured slot per city
Featured Local Partner
AD
Realtor
Realtor spot available
For an agent, brokerage, or relocation team that can answer housing questions in Salem.
One featured slot per city
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Medford vs Salem: Cost, Climate, Housing & Daily Life | WhyThere