Alexandria → Amherst Town-Northampton
Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources
Should you move?
Moving from Alexandria to Amherst Town-Northampton is favorable: BEA regional price parity goes from 85.7 to 100.2 (US = 100), and HUD 2-bedroom rent rises by $1,010/mo.
- +$21,421
- BLS median salary higher in Amherst Town-Northampton
- 410 to 309
- violent crimes per 100K (FBI UCR, state-level)
- 16.8:1 to 12.3:1
- NCES student-teacher ratio
- $13,175
- DOL infant care higher / yr in Amherst Town-Northampton
BEA Regional Price Parity, HUD Fair Market Rent, BLS OEWS, FBI UCR, NCES, and DOL. The table below lets you override the composite with your own priorities.
Pros of Moving
- + $21K higher median salary
- + Lower violent crime rate
- + Better student-teacher ratios
- + Fewer environmental violations
Cons of Moving
- - 15% higher cost of living
- - $1010/mo more expensive rent (2BR)
- - More expensive childcare
Purchasing power tightens: BEA RPP rises from 85.7 to 100.2, so the same paycheck buys less in Amherst Town-Northampton (ratio 1.17). HUD 2BR Fair Market Rent rises $1,010/mo ($12,120/yr) from $994 in Alexandria to $2,004 in Amherst Town-Northampton.
The seven-dimension ledger splits (4 destination wins · 3 origin wins); priorities decide this move. Amherst Town-Northampton sits #162 of 387 metros on PlainRelocate livability (middle third). Alexandria is #113/387 on the same ranking. Composite verdict: Favorable. Override it with the dimension table below.
BLS OEWS median salary moves $21,421 higher ($55,275 → $76,696). Labor-market size: 52,940 tracked jobs at origin vs 59,110 at destination.
State retirement friendliness favors staying put: Louisiana scores 67 (C, #15/51) vs Massachusetts at 45 (F, #48/51). Full state tax and healthcare sub-scores sit in the retirement desk below.
State retirement friendliness
Primary-state scores from PlainRelocate's retirement registry (tax + healthcare + climate composite). Metro pairs use each metro's primary state abbreviation.
- Income tax
- 78
- Property tax
- 79
- Estate tax
- 100
- Healthcare
- 8
- Income tax
- 55
- Property tax
- 65
- Estate tax
- 50
- Healthcare
- 84
Full retirement ranking · Source composite documented on methodology (Tax Foundation + AARP tax guides + federal healthcare/climate inputs).
Salary Adjustment Calculator
Enter your current salary in Alexandria to see what you'd need to earn in Amherst Town-Northampton to maintain the same purchasing power.
Amherst Town-Northampton metro profile · Livability rankings · Methodology
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA; retirement desk: Tax Foundation + AARP tax guides June 2026