Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos Farmington

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Favorable
Cost Index: 98.1 → 87.7
Rent Delta: -$767/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + 10% lower cost of living
  • + $767/mo cheaper rent (2BR)
  • + Fewer environmental violations

Cons of Moving

  • - $13K lower median salary
  • - Higher violent crime rate

Moving from Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos to Farmington shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 98.1 to 87.7 (100 = US average), so a Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos salary needs to be multiplied by 0.89 to hold the same purchasing power in Farmington. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,852/month in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos to $1,085/month in Farmington - a lower monthly bill of $767, or $9,204/year. That rent delta alone is often the single biggest line item when relocating.

Wages tell the other half. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics report a median salary of $71,789 in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos versus $59,097 in Farmington - a raw gap of $12,692 lower. The Farmington labor market has 41,940 tracked jobs against 1,265,270 in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, shaping how easy it is to find a comparable role. Combine that with the cost-of-living shift above and you get the real purchasing-power delta, sometimes a "higher salary" is actually a pay cut once rent and RPP are applied.

Safety, schools, and childcare round out the move. FBI UCR violent crime rates near Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos and Farmington are 395 and 697 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 14.7:1 at origin versus 14:1 at destination. Our composite verdict - Favorable - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos
Farmington
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 98.1
RPP 87.7
Farmington
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,852/mo
$1,085/mo
Farmington
💼 Wages
$71,789
$59,097
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos
🔒 Crime
395 per 100K
697 per 100K
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos
🎓 Schools
14.7:1
14:1
Farmington
👶 Childcare
$7,566/yr
N/A
Tie
🌿 Environment
33822 violations
7529 violations
Farmington

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos to see what you'd need to earn in Farmington to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Farmington
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Farmington more expensive than Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos?
Farmington has an RPP of 87.7 compared to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos's 98.1 (100 = national average). Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Farmington is $1,085/mo vs $1,852/mo in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos.
What are salaries like in Farmington compared to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos?
The median salary in Farmington is $59,097 compared to $71,789 in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos. That's a -$12,692 difference.
Is Farmington safer than Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos?
The violent crime rate near Farmington is 697 per 100K vs 395 per 100K near Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos (state-level data). Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Farmington to match my Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos salary by 0.89. For example, a $75,000 salary in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos would need to be $67,078 in Farmington. Use the salary calculator above for your exact figure.
What does the "Favorable" verdict mean?
The verdict is computed from 7 dimensions, cost of living, rent, wages, crime, schools, childcare, and environment, using federal data. "Favorable" means the destination edges ahead on balance. Individual priorities may shift the balance, weigh the dimensions that matter most to you.

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Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026

Data Sources

  • Cost of Living: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities
  • Rent: HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR)
  • Wages: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES)
  • Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) - state level
  • Schools: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
  • Childcare: Department of Labor (DOL) - state level
  • Environment: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)