Fairbanks-College Montgomery

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Strongly Favorable
Cost Index: 103.2 → 89.7
Rent Delta: -$660/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + 14% lower cost of living
  • + $660/mo cheaper rent (2BR)
  • + Lower violent crime rate
  • + More affordable childcare
  • + Fewer environmental violations

Cons of Moving

  • - $15K lower median salary
  • - Higher student-teacher ratios

Moving from Fairbanks-College to Montgomery shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 103.2 to 89.7 (100 = US average), so a Fairbanks-College salary needs to be multiplied by 0.87 to hold the same purchasing power in Montgomery. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,676/month in Fairbanks-College to $1,016/month in Montgomery - a lower monthly bill of $660, or $7,920/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 $73,725 in Fairbanks-College versus $58,388 in Montgomery - a raw gap of $15,337 lower. The Montgomery labor market has 157,200 tracked jobs against 28,710 in Fairbanks-College, 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 Fairbanks-College and Montgomery are 728 and 376 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 15.2:1 at origin versus 17.7:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $15,925/year in Fairbanks-College versus $6,896/year in Montgomery. Our composite verdict - Strongly Favorable - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Fairbanks-College
Montgomery
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 103.2
RPP 89.7
Montgomery
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,676/mo
$1,016/mo
Montgomery
💼 Wages
$73,725
$58,388
Fairbanks-College
🔒 Crime
728 per 100K
376 per 100K
Montgomery
🎓 Schools
15.2:1
17.7:1
Fairbanks-College
👶 Childcare
$15,925/yr
$6,896/yr
Montgomery
🌿 Environment
4613 violations
485 violations
Montgomery

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Fairbanks-College to see what you'd need to earn in Montgomery to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Montgomery
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Montgomery more expensive than Fairbanks-College?
Montgomery has an RPP of 89.7 compared to Fairbanks-College's 103.2 (100 = national average). Fairbanks-College is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Montgomery is $1,016/mo vs $1,676/mo in Fairbanks-College.
What are salaries like in Montgomery compared to Fairbanks-College?
The median salary in Montgomery is $58,388 compared to $73,725 in Fairbanks-College. That's a -$15,337 difference.
Is Montgomery safer than Fairbanks-College?
The violent crime rate near Montgomery is 376 per 100K vs 728 per 100K near Fairbanks-College (state-level data). Montgomery has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Montgomery to match my Fairbanks-College salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Fairbanks-College salary by 0.87. For example, a $75,000 salary in Fairbanks-College would need to be $65,171 in Montgomery. Use the salary calculator above for your exact figure.
What does the "Strongly Favorable" verdict mean?
The verdict is computed from 7 dimensions, cost of living, rent, wages, crime, schools, childcare, and environment, using federal data. "Strongly Favorable" means the destination 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)