Foster City, CA vs Salem, VA

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.

Foster City

63.9

#1730 nationally

vs

Salem

73.2

#778 nationally

Foster City leads in crime level (1.9 vs 7.2). Foster City leads in median household income ($191,267 vs $68,402). Salem leads in cost of living index (105 vs 276).

Metric-by-Metric Breakdown

Metric Foster City, CA Salem, VA
WhereAtHome Score 63.9 (#1730) 73.2 (#778)
Population 32,180 25,600
Typical Home Value (ZHVI) $1,863,228 $312,662
Median Household Income $191,267 $68,402
Average Commute 32.4 min 18.8 min
Walk Score 50 27
Crime Level 1.9 7.2
School Rating N/A N/A
Cost of Living Index 276 105
Political lean County 2024 presidential margin — context only, not scored D+50.3 R+19.3