Elizabethtown Las Cruces

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Neutral — Depends on Priorities
Cost Index: 90.6 → 90.2
Rent Delta: -$14/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + $2K higher median salary
  • + Better student-teacher ratios

Cons of Moving

  • - Higher violent crime rate
  • - More environmental violations

Moving from Elizabethtown to Las Cruces shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 90.6 to 90.2 (100 = US average), so a Elizabethtown salary needs to be multiplied by 1.00 to hold the same purchasing power in Las Cruces. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,056/month in Elizabethtown to $1,042/month in Las Cruces - a lower monthly bill of $14, or $168/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 $60,619 in Elizabethtown versus $62,792 in Las Cruces - a raw gap of $2,173 higher. The Las Cruces labor market has 72,370 tracked jobs against 46,020 in Elizabethtown, 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 Elizabethtown and Las Cruces are 225 and 697 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 15.2:1 at origin versus 14:1 at destination. Our composite verdict - Neutral — Depends on Priorities - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Elizabethtown
Las Cruces
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 90.6
RPP 90.2
Las Cruces
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,056/mo
$1,042/mo
Las Cruces
💼 Wages
$60,619
$62,792
Las Cruces
🔒 Crime
225 per 100K
697 per 100K
Elizabethtown
🎓 Schools
15.2:1
14:1
Las Cruces
👶 Childcare
$7,238/yr
N/A
Tie
🌿 Environment
1788 violations
7529 violations
Elizabethtown

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Elizabethtown to see what you'd need to earn in Las Cruces to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Las Cruces
-

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Las Cruces more expensive than Elizabethtown?
Las Cruces has an RPP of 90.2 compared to Elizabethtown's 90.6 (100 = national average). Elizabethtown is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Las Cruces is $1,042/mo vs $1,056/mo in Elizabethtown.
What are salaries like in Las Cruces compared to Elizabethtown?
The median salary in Las Cruces is $62,792 compared to $60,619 in Elizabethtown. That's a +$2,173 difference.
Is Las Cruces safer than Elizabethtown?
The violent crime rate near Las Cruces is 697 per 100K vs 225 per 100K near Elizabethtown (state-level data). Elizabethtown has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Las Cruces to match my Elizabethtown salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Elizabethtown salary by 1.00. For example, a $75,000 salary in Elizabethtown would need to be $74,702 in Las Cruces. Use the salary calculator above for your exact figure.
What does the "Neutral — Depends on Priorities" verdict mean?
The verdict is computed from 7 dimensions, cost of living, rent, wages, crime, schools, childcare, and environment, using federal data. "Neutral — Depends on Priorities" means both metros are roughly equivalent across the 7 dimensions. Individual priorities may shift the balance, weigh the dimensions that matter most to you.

Explore PlainRelocate

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)