Lewiston-Auburn Wichita

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Neutral — Depends on Priorities
Cost Index: 94.7 → 88.9
Rent Delta: -$487/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + 6% lower cost of living
  • + $487/mo cheaper rent (2BR)
  • + More affordable childcare

Cons of Moving

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

Moving from Lewiston-Auburn to Wichita shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 94.7 to 88.9 (100 = US average), so a Lewiston-Auburn salary needs to be multiplied by 0.94 to hold the same purchasing power in Wichita. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,586/month in Lewiston-Auburn to $1,099/month in Wichita - a lower monthly bill of $487, or $5,844/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 $60,852 in Wichita - a raw gap of $1,765 lower. The Wichita labor market has 300,890 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 are 102 and 456 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 11.1:1 at origin versus 13.8:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $11,325/year in Lewiston-Auburn versus $5,783/year in Wichita. 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
Lewiston-Auburn
Wichita
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 94.7
RPP 88.9
Wichita
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,586/mo
$1,099/mo
Wichita
💼 Wages
$62,617
$60,852
Lewiston-Auburn
🔒 Crime
102 per 100K
456 per 100K
Lewiston-Auburn
🎓 Schools
11.1:1
13.8:1
Lewiston-Auburn
👶 Childcare
$11,325/yr
$5,783/yr
Wichita
🌿 Environment
799 violations
3784 violations
Lewiston-Auburn

Salary Adjustment Calculator

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

Equivalent salary in Wichita
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Wichita more expensive than Lewiston-Auburn?
Wichita has an RPP of 88.9 compared to Lewiston-Auburn's 94.7 (100 = national average). Lewiston-Auburn is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Wichita is $1,099/mo vs $1,586/mo in Lewiston-Auburn.
What are salaries like in Wichita compared to Lewiston-Auburn?
The median salary in Wichita is $60,852 compared to $62,617 in Lewiston-Auburn. That's a -$1,765 difference.
Is Wichita safer than Lewiston-Auburn?
The violent crime rate near Wichita is 456 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 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 $70,416 in Wichita. 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)