Lewiston-Auburn Wilmington

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Less Favorable
Cost Index: 94.7 → 96.4
Rent Delta: -$160/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + $160/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 Wilmington shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 94.7 to 96.4 (100 = US average), so a Lewiston-Auburn salary needs to be multiplied by 1.02 to hold the same purchasing power in Wilmington. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,586/month in Lewiston-Auburn to $1,426/month in Wilmington - a lower monthly bill of $160, or $1,920/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 $64,296 in Wilmington - a raw gap of $1,679 higher. The Wilmington labor market has 183,460 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 Wilmington are 102 and 365 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 11.1:1 at origin versus 15.8:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $11,325/year in Lewiston-Auburn versus $9,487/year in Wilmington. 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
Wilmington
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 94.7
RPP 96.4
Lewiston-Auburn
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,586/mo
$1,426/mo
Wilmington
💼 Wages
$62,617
$64,296
Wilmington
🔒 Crime
102 per 100K
365 per 100K
Lewiston-Auburn
🎓 Schools
11.1:1
15.8:1
Lewiston-Auburn
👶 Childcare
$11,325/yr
$9,487/yr
Wilmington
🌿 Environment
799 violations
2788 violations
Lewiston-Auburn

Salary Adjustment Calculator

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

Equivalent salary in Wilmington
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Wilmington more expensive than Lewiston-Auburn?
Wilmington has an RPP of 96.4 compared to Lewiston-Auburn's 94.7 (100 = national average). Wilmington is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Wilmington is $1,426/mo vs $1,586/mo in Lewiston-Auburn.
What are salaries like in Wilmington compared to Lewiston-Auburn?
The median salary in Wilmington is $64,296 compared to $62,617 in Lewiston-Auburn. That's a +$1,679 difference.
Is Wilmington safer than Lewiston-Auburn?
The violent crime rate near Wilmington is 365 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 Wilmington to match my Lewiston-Auburn salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Lewiston-Auburn salary by 1.02. For example, a $75,000 salary in Lewiston-Auburn would need to be $76,335 in Wilmington. 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)