Baltimore-Columbia-Towson Mount Vernon-Anacortes

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Should you move?

Moving from Baltimore-Columbia-Towson to Mount Vernon-Anacortes is less favorable: BEA regional price parity goes from 104.5 to 102.4 (US = 100), and HUD 2-bedroom rent falls by $137/mo.

-$3,549
BLS median salary lower in Mount Vernon-Anacortes
425 to 329
violent crimes per 100K (FBI UCR, state-level)
14.5:1 to 17.6:1
NCES student-teacher ratio
$1,356
DOL infant care higher / yr in Mount Vernon-Anacortes

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.

Verdict
Less Favorable
Cost Index: 104.5 → 102.4
Rent Delta: -$137/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + $137/mo cheaper rent (2BR)
  • + Lower violent crime rate

Cons of Moving

  • - $4K lower median salary
  • - Higher student-teacher ratios
  • - More environmental violations

Purchasing power stays near-even: BEA RPP moves only from 104.5 to 102.4 (ratio 0.98), inside a ±5% band. HUD 2BR Fair Market Rent drops $137/mo ($1,644/yr) from $1,857 in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson to $1,720 in Mount Vernon-Anacortes.

The seven-dimension ledger splits (3 destination wins · 4 origin wins); priorities decide this move. Mount Vernon-Anacortes sits #253 of 387 metros on PlainRelocate livability (middle third). Baltimore-Columbia-Towson is #287/387 on the same ranking. Composite verdict: Less Favorable. Override it with the dimension table below.

BLS OEWS median salary moves $3,549 lower ($78,184 → $74,635). Labor-market size: 1,317,590 tracked jobs at origin vs 46,720 at destination.

State retirement friendliness favors staying put: Maryland scores 46 (F, #45/51) vs Washington at 38 (F, #51/51). Full state tax and healthcare sub-scores sit in the retirement desk below.

Dimension
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson
Mount Vernon-Anacortes
Winner
Cost of Living
RPP 104.5
RPP 102.4
Mount Vernon-Anacortes
Rent (2BR)
$1,857/mo
$1,720/mo
Mount Vernon-Anacortes
Wages
$78,184
$74,635
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson
Crime
425 per 100K
329 per 100K
Mount Vernon-Anacortes
Schools
14.5:1
17.6:1
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson
Childcare
$14,631/yr
$15,987/yr
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson
Environment
556 violations
2879 violations
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson

State retirement friendliness

Primary-state scores from PlainRelocate's retirement registry (tax + healthcare + climate composite). Metro pairs use each metro's primary state abbreviation.

Origin state · Maryland
46 F #45/51
Income tax
75
Property tax
63
Estate tax
50
Healthcare
52
Destination state · Washington
38 F #51/51
Income tax
63
Property tax
63
Estate tax
50
Healthcare
18

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 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson to see what you'd need to earn in Mount Vernon-Anacortes to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Mount Vernon-Anacortes
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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