Clayton, NC vs Salem, OR

Side-by-side comparison of housing, income, commute, safety, and quality of life.

Score Snapshot

No universal winner

Scores summarize the published model. Use the objective metric differences below and your own priorities to choose.

Clayton

67.4

#1425 nationally

vs

Salem

67.1

#1465 nationally

Clayton leads in crime level (4.6 vs 14.6). Salem leads in average commute (22.7 min vs 31.5 min). Clayton leads in cost of living index (103 vs 115).

Metric-by-Metric Breakdown

Metric Clayton, NC Salem, OR
WhereAtHome Score 67.4 (#1425) 67.1 (#1465)
Population 30,216 177,432
Typical Home Value (ZHVI) $365,680 $440,726
Median Household Income $71,698 $67,540
Average Commute 31.5 min 22.7 min
Walk Score N/A 42
Crime Level 4.6 14.6
School Rating N/A N/A
Cost of Living Index 103 115
Political lean County 2024 presidential margin — context only, not scored R+21.5 R+2.0

Data coverage note: Clayton is missing data for 1 metric that Salem has. Scores with less coverage are penalized — see our methodology.