El Centro Boise City

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Favorable
Cost Index: 95.2 → 98.4
Rent Delta: +$293/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + Lower violent crime rate
  • + Better student-teacher ratios
  • + More affordable childcare
  • + Fewer environmental violations

Cons of Moving

  • - 3% higher cost of living
  • - $293/mo more expensive rent (2BR)
  • - $4K lower median salary

Moving from El Centro to Boise City shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 95.2 to 98.4 (100 = US average), so a El Centro salary needs to be multiplied by 1.03 to hold the same purchasing power in Boise City. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,362/month in El Centro to $1,655/month in Boise City - a higher monthly bill of $293, or $3,516/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 $71,194 in El Centro versus $67,378 in Boise City - a raw gap of $3,816 lower. The Boise City labor market has 377,880 tracked jobs against 57,840 in El Centro, 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 El Centro and Boise City are 477 and 235 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 21.5:1 at origin versus 17.1:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $17,920/year in El Centro versus $7,315/year in Boise City. Our composite verdict - Favorable - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
El Centro
Boise City
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 95.2
RPP 98.4
El Centro
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,362/mo
$1,655/mo
El Centro
💼 Wages
$71,194
$67,378
El Centro
🔒 Crime
477 per 100K
235 per 100K
Boise City
🎓 Schools
21.5:1
17.1:1
Boise City
👶 Childcare
$17,920/yr
$7,315/yr
Boise City
🌿 Environment
17550 violations
2204 violations
Boise City

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in El Centro to see what you'd need to earn in Boise City to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Boise City
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Boise City more expensive than El Centro?
Boise City has an RPP of 98.4 compared to El Centro's 95.2 (100 = national average). Boise City is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Boise City is $1,655/mo vs $1,362/mo in El Centro.
What are salaries like in Boise City compared to El Centro?
The median salary in Boise City is $67,378 compared to $71,194 in El Centro. That's a -$3,816 difference.
Is Boise City safer than El Centro?
The violent crime rate near Boise City is 235 per 100K vs 477 per 100K near El Centro (state-level data). Boise City has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Boise City to match my El Centro salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your El Centro salary by 1.03. For example, a $75,000 salary in El Centro would need to be $77,535 in Boise City. Use the salary calculator above for your exact figure.
What does the "Favorable" verdict mean?
The verdict is computed from 7 dimensions, cost of living, rent, wages, crime, schools, childcare, and environment, using federal data. "Favorable" means the destination 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)