Colorado Springs → Yakima
Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources
Should you move?
Moving from Colorado Springs to Yakima is favorable: BEA regional price parity goes from 100.7 to 95.5 (US = 100), and HUD 2-bedroom rent falls by $361/mo.
- -$2,905
- BLS median salary lower in Yakima
- 481 to 329
- violent crimes per 100K (FBI UCR, state-level)
- 16.6:1 to 17.6:1
- NCES student-teacher ratio
- $3,166
- DOL infant care higher / yr in Yakima
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.
Pros of Moving
- + 5% lower cost of living
- + $361/mo cheaper rent (2BR)
- + Lower violent crime rate
- + Fewer environmental violations
Cons of Moving
- - $3K lower median salary
- - More expensive childcare
Purchasing power opens up: BEA RPP falls from 100.7 to 95.5, so each dollar covers more in Yakima (ratio 0.95). HUD 2BR Fair Market Rent drops $361/mo ($4,332/yr) from $1,735 in Colorado Springs to $1,374 in Yakima.
The seven-dimension ledger splits (4 destination wins · 3 origin wins); priorities decide this move. Yakima sits #202 of 387 metros on PlainRelocate livability (middle third). Colorado Springs is #364/387 on the same ranking. Composite verdict: Favorable. Override it with the dimension table below.
BLS OEWS median salary moves $2,905 lower ($72,907 → $70,002). Labor-market size: 304,920 tracked jobs at origin vs 90,310 at destination.
State retirement friendliness favors staying put: Colorado scores 46 (F, #44/51) vs Washington at 38 (F, #51/51). Full state tax and healthcare sub-scores sit in the retirement desk below.
State retirement friendliness
Primary-state scores from PlainRelocate's retirement registry (tax + healthcare + climate composite). Metro pairs use each metro's primary state abbreviation.
- Income tax
- 80
- Property tax
- 90
- Estate tax
- 100
- Healthcare
- 26
- 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 Colorado Springs to see what you'd need to earn in Yakima to maintain the same purchasing power.
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