Flagstaff → Ithaca
Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources
Should you move?
Moving from Flagstaff to Ithaca is favorable: BEA regional price parity goes from 100.3 to 103.3 (US = 100), and HUD 2-bedroom rent falls by $168/mo.
- +$9,342
- BLS median salary higher in Ithaca
- 429 to 380
- violent crimes per 100K (FBI UCR, state-level)
- 17:1 to 11.8:1
- NCES student-teacher ratio
- $2,568
- DOL infant care higher / yr in Ithaca
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
- + $168/mo cheaper rent (2BR)
- + $9K higher median salary
- + Better student-teacher ratios
Cons of Moving
- - More expensive childcare
Purchasing power stays near-even: BEA RPP moves only from 100.3 to 103.3 (ratio 1.03), inside a ±5% band. HUD 2BR Fair Market Rent drops $168/mo ($2,016/yr) from $1,921 in Flagstaff to $1,753 in Ithaca.
The seven-dimension ledger splits (4 destination wins · 3 origin wins); priorities decide this move. Ithaca sits #240 of 387 metros on PlainRelocate livability (middle third). Flagstaff is #360/387 on the same ranking. Composite verdict: Favorable. Override it with the dimension table below.
BLS OEWS median salary moves $9,342 higher ($66,006 → $75,348). Labor-market size: 58,590 tracked jobs at origin vs 39,380 at destination.
State retirement friendliness is near-even: Arizona 53 (D, #37/51) vs New York 46 (F, #46/51). 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
- 82
- Property tax
- 80
- Estate tax
- 100
- Healthcare
- 22
- Income tax
- 80
- Property tax
- 48
- Estate tax
- 50
- Healthcare
- 96
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 Flagstaff to see what you'd need to earn in Ithaca to maintain the same purchasing power.
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