Detroit-Warren-Dearborn Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Less Favorable
Cost Index: 100.3 → 98.1
Rent Delta: +$441/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + Better student-teacher ratios

Cons of Moving

  • - $441/mo more expensive rent (2BR)
  • - More environmental violations

Moving from Detroit-Warren-Dearborn to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 100.3 to 98.1 (100 = US average), so a Detroit-Warren-Dearborn salary needs to be multiplied by 0.98 to hold the same purchasing power in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,411/month in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn to $1,852/month in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos - a higher monthly bill of $441, or $5,292/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 $71,303 in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn versus $71,789 in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos - a raw gap of $486 higher. The Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos labor market has 1,265,270 tracked jobs against 1,883,860 in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, 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 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn and Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos are 431 and 395 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 17.5:1 at origin versus 14.7:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $7,444/year in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn versus $7,566/year in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos. Our composite verdict - Less Favorable - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 100.3
RPP 98.1
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,411/mo
$1,852/mo
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn
💼 Wages
$71,303
$71,789
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos
🔒 Crime
431 per 100K
395 per 100K
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos
🎓 Schools
17.5:1
14.7:1
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos
👶 Childcare
$7,444/yr
$7,566/yr
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn
🌿 Environment
1000 violations
33822 violations
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn to see what you'd need to earn in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos more expensive than Detroit-Warren-Dearborn?
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos has an RPP of 98.1 compared to Detroit-Warren-Dearborn's 100.3 (100 = national average). Detroit-Warren-Dearborn is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos is $1,852/mo vs $1,411/mo in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn.
What are salaries like in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos compared to Detroit-Warren-Dearborn?
The median salary in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos is $71,789 compared to $71,303 in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn. That's a +$486 difference.
Is Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos safer than Detroit-Warren-Dearborn?
The violent crime rate near Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos is 395 per 100K vs 431 per 100K near Detroit-Warren-Dearborn (state-level data). Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos to match my Detroit-Warren-Dearborn salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Detroit-Warren-Dearborn salary by 0.98. For example, a $75,000 salary in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn would need to be $73,331 in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos. 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)