Lewiston-Auburn Jackson

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Should you move?

Moving from Lewiston-Auburn to Jackson is less favorable: BEA regional price parity goes from 94.7 to 91.8 (US = 100), and HUD 2-bedroom rent falls by $421/mo.

+$1,048
BLS median salary higher in Jackson
102 to 431
violent crimes per 100K (FBI UCR, state-level)
11.1:1 to 17.5:1
NCES student-teacher ratio
$3,881
DOL infant care lower / yr in Jackson

BEA Regional Price Parity, HUD Fair Market Rent, BLS OEWS, FBI UCR, NCES, and DOL. The table below lets you override the composite with your own priorities.

Verdict
Less Favorable
Cost Index: 94.7 → 91.8
Rent Delta: -$421/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + $421/mo cheaper rent (2BR)
  • + More affordable childcare

Cons of Moving

  • - Higher violent crime rate
  • - Higher student-teacher ratios
  • - More environmental violations

Purchasing power stays near-even: BEA RPP moves only from 94.7 to 91.8 (ratio 0.97), inside a ±5% band. HUD 2BR Fair Market Rent drops $421/mo ($5,052/yr) from $1,586 in Lewiston-Auburn to $1,165 in Jackson.

The seven-dimension ledger splits (4 destination wins · 3 origin wins); priorities decide this move. Jackson sits #224 of 387 metros on PlainRelocate livability (middle third). Lewiston-Auburn is #20/387 on the same ranking. Composite verdict: Less Favorable. Override it with the dimension table below.

BLS OEWS median salary moves $1,048 higher ($62,617 → $63,665). Labor-market size: 41,990 tracked jobs at origin vs 47,640 at destination.

State retirement friendliness favors staying put: Maine scores 61 (C, #27/51) vs Michigan at 49 (F, #42/51). Full state tax and healthcare sub-scores sit in the retirement desk below.

Dimension
Lewiston-Auburn
Jackson
Winner
Cost of Living
RPP 94.7
RPP 91.8
Jackson
Rent (2BR)
$1,586/mo
$1,165/mo
Jackson
Wages
$62,617
$63,665
Jackson
Crime
102 per 100K
431 per 100K
Lewiston-Auburn
Schools
11.1:1
17.5:1
Lewiston-Auburn
Childcare
$11,325/yr
$7,444/yr
Jackson
Environment
832 violations
1120 violations
Lewiston-Auburn

State retirement friendliness

Primary-state scores from PlainRelocate's retirement registry (tax + healthcare + climate composite). Metro pairs use each metro's primary state abbreviation.

Origin state · Maine
61 C #27/51
Income tax
68
Property tax
60
Estate tax
50
Healthcare
100
Destination state · Michigan
49 F #42/51
Income tax
72
Property tax
59
Estate tax
100
Healthcare
16

Full retirement ranking · Source composite documented on methodology (Tax Foundation + AARP tax guides + federal healthcare/climate inputs).

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Lewiston-Auburn to see what you'd need to earn in Jackson to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Jackson
-

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA; retirement desk: Tax Foundation + AARP tax guides June 2026