El Paso → Scranton--Wilkes-Barre
Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources
Should you move?
Moving from El Paso to Scranton--Wilkes-Barre is favorable: BEA regional price parity goes from 89.9 to 93.6 (US = 100), and HUD 2-bedroom rent rises by $61/mo.
- +$3,993
- BLS median salary higher in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre
- 395 to 250
- violent crimes per 100K (FBI UCR, state-level)
- 14.7:1 to 13.6:1
- NCES student-teacher ratio
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
- + Lower violent crime rate
- + Better student-teacher ratios
- + Fewer environmental violations
Cons of Moving
- - 4% higher cost of living
- - $61/mo more expensive rent (2BR)
Purchasing power stays near-even: BEA RPP moves only from 89.9 to 93.6 (ratio 1.04), inside a ±5% band. HUD 2BR Fair Market Rent rises $61/mo ($732/yr) from $1,191 in El Paso to $1,252 in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre.
The seven-dimension ledger splits (4 destination wins · 2 origin wins); priorities decide this move. Scranton--Wilkes-Barre sits #148 of 387 metros on PlainRelocate livability (middle third). El Paso is #309/387 on the same ranking. Composite verdict: Favorable. Override it with the dimension table below.
BLS OEWS median salary moves $3,993 higher ($57,810 → $61,803). Labor-market size: 331,390 tracked jobs at origin vs 246,030 at destination.
State retirement friendliness is near-even: Texas 65 (C, #19/51) vs Pennsylvania 65 (C, #18/51). 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
- 100
- Property tax
- 55
- Estate tax
- 100
- Healthcare
- 44
- Income tax
- 95
- Property tax
- 58
- Estate tax
- 100
- Healthcare
- 72
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 El Paso to see what you'd need to earn in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre to maintain the same purchasing power.
Scranton--Wilkes-Barre metro profile · Livability rankings · Methodology
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