Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Less Favorable
Cost Index: 98.6 → 101.4
Rent Delta: +$877/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + Lower violent crime rate
  • + Fewer environmental violations

Cons of Moving

  • - $877/mo more expensive rent (2BR)
  • - $4K lower median salary
  • - Higher student-teacher ratios
  • - More expensive childcare

Moving from Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands to Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 98.6 to 101.4 (100 = US average), so a Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands salary needs to be multiplied by 1.03 to hold the same purchasing power in Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,095/month in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands to $1,972/month in Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford - a higher monthly bill of $877, or $10,524/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 $69,330 in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands versus $65,387 in Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford - a raw gap of $3,943 lower. The Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford labor market has 1,382,410 tracked jobs against 3,246,270 in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, 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 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands and Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford are 395 and 210 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 14.7:1 at origin versus 17.8:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $7,566/year in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands versus $10,505/year in Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford. Our composite verdict - Less Favorable - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 98.6
RPP 101.4
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,095/mo
$1,972/mo
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands
💼 Wages
$69,330
$65,387
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands
🔒 Crime
395 per 100K
210 per 100K
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford
🎓 Schools
14.7:1
17.8:1
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands
👶 Childcare
$7,566/yr
$10,505/yr
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands
🌿 Environment
33822 violations
2676 violations
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands to see what you'd need to earn in Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford more expensive than Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford has an RPP of 101.4 compared to Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands's 98.6 (100 = national average). Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford is $1,972/mo vs $1,095/mo in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands.
What are salaries like in Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford compared to Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
The median salary in Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford is $65,387 compared to $69,330 in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands. That's a -$3,943 difference.
Is Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford safer than Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
The violent crime rate near Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford is 210 per 100K vs 395 per 100K near Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands (state-level data). Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford to match my Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands salary by 1.03. For example, a $75,000 salary in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands would need to be $77,121 in Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford. Use the salary calculator above for your exact figure.
What does the "Less Favorable" verdict mean?
The verdict is computed from 7 dimensions, cost of living, rent, wages, crime, schools, childcare, and environment, using federal data. "Less Favorable" means the origin 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)