Salisbury cost of living
Prices in the Salisbury, MD metro area run at 95.6 against a national average of 100, ranking it #154 of 387 metros. Rents there sit at 87.2.
What drives the number
Prices in Salisbury run at 95.6 where the national average is 100, so about 4.4 per cent below the country as a whole. It ranks #154 of 387 metro areas. Against Maryland as a whole it is 9.4 points less expensive, which is the unusual direction, and it means the expensive part of the state is somewhere else.
The parts move together here rather than pulling against each other: goods at 96.6, rents at 87.2, other services at 102.8. When the components agree, the headline number is a fair summary of the whole cost of living rather than a proxy for rent.
The number is most useful in reverse: a job here can pay less in cash and still leave a household better off, by roughly 4.4 per cent before anything else is considered.
The vertical line is the national average of 100. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, SARPP, 2024.
What the biggest local jobs are really worth
The same pay buys different amounts in different places, so a salary quoted in Salisbury is not comparable to one quoted elsewhere until it is divided by the local parity. These are the occupations that employ the most people here, with the quoted median alongside what that median is worth at national prices.
| Occupation | Employed | Median pay | Worth nationally | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 1,650 | $84,930 | $88,839 | $93,600 |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,650 | $31,200 | $32,636 | $34,580 |
| General and Operations Managers | 1,590 | $85,780 | $89,728 | $102,950 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,570 | $31,200 | $32,636 | $30,480 |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 1,230 | $43,110 | $45,094 | $46,290 |
| Cashiers | 1,210 | $31,200 | $32,636 | $31,190 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 1,060 | $38,990 | $40,785 | $42,830 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 970 | $36,250 | $37,918 | $34,900 |
Pay from the BLS metro survey, adjusted by dividing by the metro parity of 95.6.
Nearby metro areas
| Metro area | All items | Rents | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria | 108.9 | 151.1 | #15 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | 104.5 | 118.2 | #33 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | 102.6 | 113.1 | #50 |
| Lexington Park | 100.8 | 103.8 | #74 |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg | 94.2 | 75.7 | #179 |
Salisbury: common questions
Is Salisbury expensive?
Prices are 4.4% below the national average, a parity of 95.6 where the country is 100. It ranks #154 of the 387 metro areas BEA measures. Against Maryland as a whole it is 9.4 points less expensive.
What salary do you need in Salisbury?
The median worker there earns $46,650, which buys what $48,797 buys nationally once local prices are taken into account. Comparing a salary offer between cities without this adjustment is comparing nothing useful.
Is housing the reason?
Usually. Rents here are at 87.2 against goods at 96.6. Goods barely vary between American cities because most are shipped and priced nationally; housing varies enormously, and it dominates any cost of living comparison.