Lewiston-Auburn Wichita Falls

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Less Favorable
Cost Index: 94.7 → 89.5
Rent Delta: -$450/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + 5% lower cost of living
  • + $450/mo cheaper rent (2BR)
  • + More affordable childcare

Cons of Moving

  • - $6K lower median salary
  • - Higher violent crime rate
  • - Higher student-teacher ratios
  • - More environmental violations

Moving from Lewiston-Auburn to Wichita Falls shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 94.7 to 89.5 (100 = US average), so a Lewiston-Auburn salary needs to be multiplied by 0.94 to hold the same purchasing power in Wichita Falls. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,586/month in Lewiston-Auburn to $1,136/month in Wichita Falls - a lower monthly bill of $450, or $5,400/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 $62,617 in Lewiston-Auburn versus $56,840 in Wichita Falls - a raw gap of $5,777 lower. The Wichita Falls labor market has 49,490 tracked jobs against 41,990 in Lewiston-Auburn, 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 Lewiston-Auburn and Wichita Falls are 102 and 395 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 11.1:1 at origin versus 14.7:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $11,325/year in Lewiston-Auburn versus $7,566/year in Wichita Falls. Our composite verdict - Less Favorable - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Lewiston-Auburn
Wichita Falls
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 94.7
RPP 89.5
Wichita Falls
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,586/mo
$1,136/mo
Wichita Falls
💼 Wages
$62,617
$56,840
Lewiston-Auburn
🔒 Crime
102 per 100K
395 per 100K
Lewiston-Auburn
🎓 Schools
11.1:1
14.7:1
Lewiston-Auburn
👶 Childcare
$11,325/yr
$7,566/yr
Wichita Falls
🌿 Environment
799 violations
33822 violations
Lewiston-Auburn

Salary Adjustment Calculator

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

Equivalent salary in Wichita Falls
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Wichita Falls more expensive than Lewiston-Auburn?
Wichita Falls has an RPP of 89.5 compared to Lewiston-Auburn's 94.7 (100 = national average). Lewiston-Auburn is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Wichita Falls is $1,136/mo vs $1,586/mo in Lewiston-Auburn.
What are salaries like in Wichita Falls compared to Lewiston-Auburn?
The median salary in Wichita Falls is $56,840 compared to $62,617 in Lewiston-Auburn. That's a -$5,777 difference.
Is Wichita Falls safer than Lewiston-Auburn?
The violent crime rate near Wichita Falls is 395 per 100K vs 102 per 100K near Lewiston-Auburn (state-level data). Lewiston-Auburn has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Wichita Falls to match my Lewiston-Auburn salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Lewiston-Auburn salary by 0.94. For example, a $75,000 salary in Lewiston-Auburn would need to be $70,865 in Wichita Falls. 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)