Great Falls Brunswick-St. Simons

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Neutral — Depends on Priorities
Cost Index: 96.8 → 87.7
Rent Delta: +$9/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + 9% lower cost of living
  • + Lower violent crime rate
  • + More affordable childcare

Cons of Moving

  • - $4K lower median salary
  • - Higher student-teacher ratios
  • - More environmental violations

Moving from Great Falls to Brunswick-St. Simons shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 96.8 to 87.7 (100 = US average), so a Great Falls salary needs to be multiplied by 0.91 to hold the same purchasing power in Brunswick-St. Simons. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,284/month in Great Falls to $1,293/month in Brunswick-St. Simons - a higher monthly bill of $9, or $108/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 $60,566 in Great Falls versus $56,638 in Brunswick-St. Simons - a raw gap of $3,928 lower. The Brunswick-St. Simons labor market has 39,810 tracked jobs against 31,100 in Great Falls, 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 Great Falls and Brunswick-St. Simons are 426 and 300 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 11.8:1 at origin versus 14.4:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $11,466/year in Great Falls versus $6,591/year in Brunswick-St. Simons. 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
Great Falls
Brunswick-St. Simons
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 96.8
RPP 87.7
Brunswick-St. Simons
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,284/mo
$1,293/mo
Great Falls
💼 Wages
$60,566
$56,638
Great Falls
🔒 Crime
426 per 100K
300 per 100K
Brunswick-St. Simons
🎓 Schools
11.8:1
14.4:1
Great Falls
👶 Childcare
$11,466/yr
$6,591/yr
Brunswick-St. Simons
🌿 Environment
1430 violations
2663 violations
Great Falls

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Great Falls to see what you'd need to earn in Brunswick-St. Simons to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Brunswick-St. Simons
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Brunswick-St. Simons more expensive than Great Falls?
Brunswick-St. Simons has an RPP of 87.7 compared to Great Falls's 96.8 (100 = national average). Great Falls is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Brunswick-St. Simons is $1,293/mo vs $1,284/mo in Great Falls.
What are salaries like in Brunswick-St. Simons compared to Great Falls?
The median salary in Brunswick-St. Simons is $56,638 compared to $60,566 in Great Falls. That's a -$3,928 difference.
Is Brunswick-St. Simons safer than Great Falls?
The violent crime rate near Brunswick-St. Simons is 300 per 100K vs 426 per 100K near Great Falls (state-level data). Brunswick-St. Simons has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Brunswick-St. Simons to match my Great Falls salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Great Falls salary by 0.91. For example, a $75,000 salary in Great Falls would need to be $67,924 in Brunswick-St. Simons. 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.

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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)