Columbus → Missoula
Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources
Should you move?
Moving from Columbus to Missoula is less favorable: BEA regional price parity goes from 89.3 to 96.4 (US = 100), and HUD 2-bedroom rent rises by $273/mo.
- +$3,999
- BLS median salary higher in Missoula
- 300 to 426
- violent crimes per 100K (FBI UCR, state-level)
- 14.4:1 to 11.8:1
- NCES student-teacher ratio
- $4,875
- DOL infant care higher / yr in Missoula
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
- + $4K higher median salary
- + Better student-teacher ratios
- + Fewer environmental violations
Cons of Moving
- - 7% higher cost of living
- - $273/mo more expensive rent (2BR)
- - Higher violent crime rate
- - More expensive childcare
Purchasing power tightens: BEA RPP rises from 89.3 to 96.4, so the same paycheck buys less in Missoula (ratio 1.08). HUD 2BR Fair Market Rent rises $273/mo ($3,276/yr) from $1,088 in Columbus to $1,361 in Missoula.
The seven-dimension ledger splits (3 destination wins · 4 origin wins); priorities decide this move. Missoula sits #285 of 387 metros on PlainRelocate livability (bottom third of the corpus). Columbus is #84/387 on the same ranking. Composite verdict: Less Favorable. Override it with the dimension table below.
BLS OEWS median salary moves $3,999 higher ($59,133 → $63,132). Labor-market size: 107,760 tracked jobs at origin vs 60,010 at destination.
State retirement friendliness favors staying put: Georgia scores 68 (C, #10/51) vs Montana at 53 (D, #38/51). 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
- 88
- Property tax
- 74
- Estate tax
- 100
- Healthcare
- 48
- Income tax
- 62
- Property tax
- 68
- Estate tax
- 100
- Healthcare
- 82
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 Columbus to see what you'd need to earn in Missoula 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