Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin Fresno

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Unfavorable
Cost Index: 97.0 → 102.2
Rent Delta: -$121/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + $121/mo cheaper rent (2BR)
  • + $7K higher median salary

Cons of Moving

  • - 5% higher cost of living
  • - Higher violent crime rate
  • - Higher student-teacher ratios
  • - More expensive childcare
  • - More environmental violations

Moving from Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin to Fresno shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 97.0 to 102.2 (100 = US average), so a Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin salary needs to be multiplied by 1.05 to hold the same purchasing power in Fresno. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,785/month in Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin to $1,664/month in Fresno - a lower monthly bill of $121, or $1,452/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 $66,615 in Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin versus $73,531 in Fresno - a raw gap of $6,916 higher. The Fresno labor market has 469,260 tracked jobs against 119,420 in Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, 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 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin and Fresno are 210 and 477 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 17.8:1 at origin versus 21.5:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $10,505/year in Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin versus $17,920/year in Fresno. Our composite verdict - Unfavorable - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin
Fresno
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 97.0
RPP 102.2
Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,785/mo
$1,664/mo
Fresno
💼 Wages
$66,615
$73,531
Fresno
🔒 Crime
210 per 100K
477 per 100K
Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin
🎓 Schools
17.8:1
21.5:1
Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin
👶 Childcare
$10,505/yr
$17,920/yr
Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin
🌿 Environment
2676 violations
17550 violations
Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin to see what you'd need to earn in Fresno to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Fresno
-

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Fresno more expensive than Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin?
Fresno has an RPP of 102.2 compared to Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin's 97.0 (100 = national average). Fresno is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Fresno is $1,664/mo vs $1,785/mo in Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin.
What are salaries like in Fresno compared to Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin?
The median salary in Fresno is $73,531 compared to $66,615 in Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin. That's a +$6,916 difference.
Is Fresno safer than Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin?
The violent crime rate near Fresno is 477 per 100K vs 210 per 100K near Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin (state-level data). Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Fresno to match my Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin salary by 1.05. For example, a $75,000 salary in Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin would need to be $78,963 in Fresno. Use the salary calculator above for your exact figure.
What does the "Unfavorable" verdict mean?
The verdict is computed from 7 dimensions, cost of living, rent, wages, crime, schools, childcare, and environment, using federal data. "Unfavorable" means the origin clearly wins on most 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)