Great Falls Coeur d'Alene

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Neutral — Depends on Priorities
Cost Index: 96.8 → 98.3
Rent Delta: +$263/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + $4K higher median salary
  • + Lower violent crime rate
  • + More affordable childcare

Cons of Moving

  • - $263/mo more expensive rent (2BR)
  • - Higher student-teacher ratios
  • - More environmental violations

Moving from Great Falls to Coeur d'Alene shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 96.8 to 98.3 (100 = US average), so a Great Falls salary needs to be multiplied by 1.01 to hold the same purchasing power in Coeur d'Alene. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,284/month in Great Falls to $1,547/month in Coeur d'Alene - a higher monthly bill of $263, or $3,156/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 $64,634 in Coeur d'Alene - a raw gap of $4,068 higher. The Coeur d'Alene labor market has 64,630 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 Coeur d'Alene are 426 and 235 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 11.8:1 at origin versus 17.1:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $11,466/year in Great Falls versus $7,315/year in Coeur d'Alene. 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
Coeur d'Alene
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 96.8
RPP 98.3
Great Falls
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,284/mo
$1,547/mo
Great Falls
💼 Wages
$60,566
$64,634
Coeur d'Alene
🔒 Crime
426 per 100K
235 per 100K
Coeur d'Alene
🎓 Schools
11.8:1
17.1:1
Great Falls
👶 Childcare
$11,466/yr
$7,315/yr
Coeur d'Alene
🌿 Environment
1430 violations
2204 violations
Great Falls

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Great Falls to see what you'd need to earn in Coeur d'Alene to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Coeur d'Alene
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Coeur d'Alene more expensive than Great Falls?
Coeur d'Alene has an RPP of 98.3 compared to Great Falls's 96.8 (100 = national average). Coeur d'Alene is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Coeur d'Alene is $1,547/mo vs $1,284/mo in Great Falls.
What are salaries like in Coeur d'Alene compared to Great Falls?
The median salary in Coeur d'Alene is $64,634 compared to $60,566 in Great Falls. That's a +$4,068 difference.
Is Coeur d'Alene safer than Great Falls?
The violent crime rate near Coeur d'Alene is 235 per 100K vs 426 per 100K near Great Falls (state-level data). Coeur d'Alene has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Coeur d'Alene to match my Great Falls salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Great Falls salary by 1.01. For example, a $75,000 salary in Great Falls would need to be $76,121 in Coeur d'Alene. 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)