Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal Idaho Falls

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Favorable
Cost Index: 98.0 → 94.4
Rent Delta: -$511/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + 4% lower cost of living
  • + $511/mo cheaper rent (2BR)
  • + Lower violent crime rate

Cons of Moving

  • - Higher student-teacher ratios
  • - More environmental violations

Moving from Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal to Idaho Falls shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 98.0 to 94.4 (100 = US average), so a Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal salary needs to be multiplied by 0.96 to hold the same purchasing power in Idaho Falls. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,816/month in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal to $1,305/month in Idaho Falls - a lower monthly bill of $511, or $6,132/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 $63,019 in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal versus $63,842 in Idaho Falls - a raw gap of $823 higher. The Idaho Falls labor market has 72,210 tracked jobs against 77,390 in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, 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 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal and Idaho Falls are 439 and 235 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 14.3:1 at origin versus 17.1:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $7,732/year in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal versus $7,315/year in Idaho Falls. Our composite verdict - Favorable - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal
Idaho Falls
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 98.0
RPP 94.4
Idaho Falls
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,816/mo
$1,305/mo
Idaho Falls
💼 Wages
$63,019
$63,842
Idaho Falls
🔒 Crime
439 per 100K
235 per 100K
Idaho Falls
🎓 Schools
14.3:1
17.1:1
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal
👶 Childcare
$7,732/yr
$7,315/yr
Idaho Falls
🌿 Environment
647 violations
2204 violations
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal to see what you'd need to earn in Idaho Falls to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Idaho Falls
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Idaho Falls more expensive than Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal?
Idaho Falls has an RPP of 94.4 compared to Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal's 98.0 (100 = national average). Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Idaho Falls is $1,305/mo vs $1,816/mo in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal.
What are salaries like in Idaho Falls compared to Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal?
The median salary in Idaho Falls is $63,842 compared to $63,019 in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal. That's a +$823 difference.
Is Idaho Falls safer than Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal?
The violent crime rate near Idaho Falls is 235 per 100K vs 439 per 100K near Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal (state-level data). Idaho Falls has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Idaho Falls to match my Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal salary by 0.96. For example, a $75,000 salary in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal would need to be $72,242 in Idaho Falls. Use the salary calculator above for your exact figure.
What does the "Favorable" verdict mean?
The verdict is computed from 7 dimensions, cost of living, rent, wages, crime, schools, childcare, and environment, using federal data. "Favorable" means the destination edges ahead on balance. 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)