Bismarck Lima

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Less Favorable
Cost Index: 91.0 → 89.7
Rent Delta: -$67/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + $67/mo cheaper rent (2BR)

Cons of Moving

  • - $10K lower median salary
  • - Higher student-teacher ratios
  • - More environmental violations

Moving from Bismarck to Lima shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 91.0 to 89.7 (100 = US average), so a Bismarck salary needs to be multiplied by 0.99 to hold the same purchasing power in Lima. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,175/month in Bismarck to $1,108/month in Lima - a lower monthly bill of $67, or $804/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 $70,851 in Bismarck versus $61,326 in Lima - a raw gap of $9,525 lower. The Lima labor market has 43,810 tracked jobs against 64,970 in Bismarck, 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 Bismarck and Lima are 257 and 293 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 11.8:1 at origin versus 18.2:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $10,925/year in Bismarck versus $11,791/year in Lima. Our composite verdict - Less Favorable - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Bismarck
Lima
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 91.0
RPP 89.7
Lima
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,175/mo
$1,108/mo
Lima
💼 Wages
$70,851
$61,326
Bismarck
🔒 Crime
257 per 100K
293 per 100K
Bismarck
🎓 Schools
11.8:1
18.2:1
Bismarck
👶 Childcare
$10,925/yr
$11,791/yr
Bismarck
🌿 Environment
169 violations
1386 violations
Bismarck

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Bismarck 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 Bismarck?
Lima has an RPP of 89.7 compared to Bismarck's 91.0 (100 = national average). Bismarck is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Lima is $1,108/mo vs $1,175/mo in Bismarck.
What are salaries like in Lima compared to Bismarck?
The median salary in Lima is $61,326 compared to $70,851 in Bismarck. That's a -$9,525 difference.
Is Lima safer than Bismarck?
The violent crime rate near Lima is 293 per 100K vs 257 per 100K near Bismarck (state-level data). Bismarck has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Lima to match my Bismarck salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Bismarck salary by 0.99. For example, a $75,000 salary in Bismarck would need to be $73,884 in Lima. Use the salary calculator above for your exact figure.
What does the "Less Favorable" verdict mean?
The verdict is computed from 7 dimensions, cost of living, rent, wages, crime, schools, childcare, and environment, using federal data. "Less Favorable" means the origin 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)