Salary comparison
Waiters and Waitresses: Longview vs Salem
Longview, WA pays about 12.6% more for waiters and waitresses on paper — $54,870 vs $48,720. But once you factor in what it costs to live there, Longview comes out ahead by $6,150 a year in real buying power.
Longview, WA
$54,870
$45,610
$65,850
$26.38
100
$54,870/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
Salem, OR
$48,720
$35,330
$61,770
$23.42
100
$48,720/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
What the numbers mean in practice
The headline gap is $6,150 a year (12.6%) in favor of Longview. That is the raw salary difference before any living costs.
Longview runs a cost index of 100 against the national baseline of 100; Salem sits at 100. After adjusting the median for those costs, Longview is the better deal by $6,150 a year — that is what each paycheck actually buys locally.
If you are weighing a move from Salem to Longview for this role, the raise needs to beat 12.6% to come out ahead after living costs. Anything below that and you are earning more on paper but keeping less.
Common questions
Where do waiters and waitresses earn more, Longview or Salem?
Longview pays $54,870 on median — about 12.6% more than Salem ($48,720). Based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Which city is the better deal after living costs?
Longview. Once you divide each median by the local cost index, Longview gives you roughly$54,870 of real buying power versus $48,720 in the other city.