Jacksonville Jonesboro

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Neutral — Depends on Priorities
Cost Index: 92.1 → 85.9
Rent Delta: -$133/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + 6% lower cost of living
  • + $133/mo cheaper rent (2BR)
  • + Better student-teacher ratios

Cons of Moving

  • - $2K lower median salary
  • - Higher violent crime rate
  • - More environmental violations

Moving from Jacksonville to Jonesboro shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 92.1 to 85.9 (100 = US average), so a Jacksonville salary needs to be multiplied by 0.93 to hold the same purchasing power in Jonesboro. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,173/month in Jacksonville to $1,040/month in Jonesboro - a lower monthly bill of $133, or $1,596/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 $57,430 in Jacksonville versus $55,412 in Jonesboro - a raw gap of $2,018 lower. The Jonesboro labor market has 55,350 tracked jobs against 46,520 in Jacksonville, 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 Jacksonville and Jonesboro are 365 and 580 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 15.8:1 at origin versus 13.6:1 at destination. 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
Jacksonville
Jonesboro
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 92.1
RPP 85.9
Jonesboro
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,173/mo
$1,040/mo
Jonesboro
💼 Wages
$57,430
$55,412
Jacksonville
🔒 Crime
365 per 100K
580 per 100K
Jacksonville
🎓 Schools
15.8:1
13.6:1
Jonesboro
👶 Childcare
$9,487/yr
N/A
Tie
🌿 Environment
2788 violations
5811 violations
Jacksonville

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Jacksonville to see what you'd need to earn in Jonesboro to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Jonesboro
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Jonesboro more expensive than Jacksonville?
Jonesboro has an RPP of 85.9 compared to Jacksonville's 92.1 (100 = national average). Jacksonville is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Jonesboro is $1,040/mo vs $1,173/mo in Jacksonville.
What are salaries like in Jonesboro compared to Jacksonville?
The median salary in Jonesboro is $55,412 compared to $57,430 in Jacksonville. That's a -$2,018 difference.
Is Jonesboro safer than Jacksonville?
The violent crime rate near Jonesboro is 580 per 100K vs 365 per 100K near Jacksonville (state-level data). Jacksonville has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Jonesboro to match my Jacksonville salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Jacksonville salary by 0.93. For example, a $75,000 salary in Jacksonville would need to be $69,943 in Jonesboro. 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)