Birmingham Lima

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Neutral — Depends on Priorities
Cost Index: 91.6 → 89.7
Rent Delta: -$158/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + $158/mo cheaper rent (2BR)
  • + Lower violent crime rate

Cons of Moving

  • - More expensive childcare
  • - More environmental violations

Moving from Birmingham to Lima shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 91.6 to 89.7 (100 = US average), so a Birmingham salary needs to be multiplied by 0.98 to hold the same purchasing power in Lima. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,266/month in Birmingham to $1,108/month in Lima - a lower monthly bill of $158, or $1,896/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 $63,237 in Birmingham versus $61,326 in Lima - a raw gap of $1,911 lower. The Lima labor market has 43,810 tracked jobs against 497,490 in Birmingham, 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 Birmingham and Lima are 376 and 293 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 17.7:1 at origin versus 18.2:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $6,896/year in Birmingham versus $11,791/year in Lima. Our composite verdict - Neutral — Depends on Priorities - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Birmingham
Lima
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 91.6
RPP 89.7
Lima
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,266/mo
$1,108/mo
Lima
💼 Wages
$63,237
$61,326
Birmingham
🔒 Crime
376 per 100K
293 per 100K
Lima
🎓 Schools
17.7:1
18.2:1
Birmingham
👶 Childcare
$6,896/yr
$11,791/yr
Birmingham
🌿 Environment
485 violations
1386 violations
Birmingham

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Birmingham to see what you'd need to earn in Lima to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Lima
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Lima more expensive than Birmingham?
Lima has an RPP of 89.7 compared to Birmingham's 91.6 (100 = national average). Birmingham is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Lima is $1,108/mo vs $1,266/mo in Birmingham.
What are salaries like in Lima compared to Birmingham?
The median salary in Lima is $61,326 compared to $63,237 in Birmingham. That's a -$1,911 difference.
Is Lima safer than Birmingham?
The violent crime rate near Lima is 293 per 100K vs 376 per 100K near Birmingham (state-level data). Lima has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Lima to match my Birmingham salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Birmingham salary by 0.98. For example, a $75,000 salary in Birmingham would need to be $73,384 in Lima. Use the salary calculator above for your exact figure.
What does the "Neutral — Depends on Priorities" verdict mean?
The verdict is computed from 7 dimensions, cost of living, rent, wages, crime, schools, childcare, and environment, using federal data. "Neutral — Depends on Priorities" means both metros are roughly equivalent across the 7 dimensions. 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)