Casper Parkersburg-Vienna

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Less Favorable
Cost Index: 93.8 → 87.1
Rent Delta: -$154/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + 7% lower cost of living
  • + $154/mo cheaper rent (2BR)

Cons of Moving

  • - $6K lower median salary
  • - Higher violent crime rate
  • - Higher student-teacher ratios
  • - More environmental violations

Moving from Casper to Parkersburg-Vienna shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 93.8 to 87.1 (100 = US average), so a Casper salary needs to be multiplied by 0.93 to hold the same purchasing power in Parkersburg-Vienna. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,082/month in Casper to $928/month in Parkersburg-Vienna - a lower monthly bill of $154, or $1,848/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 $61,647 in Casper versus $56,041 in Parkersburg-Vienna - a raw gap of $5,606 lower. The Parkersburg-Vienna labor market has 30,150 tracked jobs against 33,190 in Casper, 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 Casper and Parkersburg-Vienna are 191 and 242 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 11.4:1 at origin versus 13.1:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $8,502/year in Casper versus $8,974/year in Parkersburg-Vienna. Our composite verdict - Less Favorable - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Casper
Parkersburg-Vienna
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 93.8
RPP 87.1
Parkersburg-Vienna
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,082/mo
$928/mo
Parkersburg-Vienna
💼 Wages
$61,647
$56,041
Casper
🔒 Crime
191 per 100K
242 per 100K
Casper
🎓 Schools
11.4:1
13.1:1
Casper
👶 Childcare
$8,502/yr
$8,974/yr
Casper
🌿 Environment
713 violations
2371 violations
Casper

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Casper to see what you'd need to earn in Parkersburg-Vienna to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Parkersburg-Vienna
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Parkersburg-Vienna more expensive than Casper?
Parkersburg-Vienna has an RPP of 87.1 compared to Casper's 93.8 (100 = national average). Casper is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Parkersburg-Vienna is $928/mo vs $1,082/mo in Casper.
What are salaries like in Parkersburg-Vienna compared to Casper?
The median salary in Parkersburg-Vienna is $56,041 compared to $61,647 in Casper. That's a -$5,606 difference.
Is Parkersburg-Vienna safer than Casper?
The violent crime rate near Parkersburg-Vienna is 242 per 100K vs 191 per 100K near Casper (state-level data). Casper has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Parkersburg-Vienna to match my Casper salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Casper salary by 0.93. For example, a $75,000 salary in Casper would need to be $69,594 in Parkersburg-Vienna. 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)