Lima Birmingham

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Neutral — Depends on Priorities
Cost Index: 89.7 → 91.6
Rent Delta: +$158/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + More affordable childcare
  • + Fewer environmental violations

Cons of Moving

  • - $158/mo more expensive rent (2BR)
  • - Higher violent crime rate

Moving from Lima to Birmingham shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 89.7 to 91.6 (100 = US average), so a Lima salary needs to be multiplied by 1.02 to hold the same purchasing power in Birmingham. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,108/month in Lima to $1,266/month in Birmingham - a higher monthly bill of $158, or $1,896/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 $61,326 in Lima versus $63,237 in Birmingham - a raw gap of $1,911 higher. The Birmingham labor market has 497,490 tracked jobs against 43,810 in Lima, 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 Lima and Birmingham are 293 and 376 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 18.2:1 at origin versus 17.7:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $11,791/year in Lima versus $6,896/year in Birmingham. 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
Lima
Birmingham
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 89.7
RPP 91.6
Lima
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,108/mo
$1,266/mo
Lima
💼 Wages
$61,326
$63,237
Birmingham
🔒 Crime
293 per 100K
376 per 100K
Lima
🎓 Schools
18.2:1
17.7:1
Birmingham
👶 Childcare
$11,791/yr
$6,896/yr
Birmingham
🌿 Environment
1386 violations
485 violations
Birmingham

Salary Adjustment Calculator

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

Equivalent salary in Birmingham
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Birmingham more expensive than Lima?
Birmingham has an RPP of 91.6 compared to Lima's 89.7 (100 = national average). Birmingham is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Birmingham is $1,266/mo vs $1,108/mo in Lima.
What are salaries like in Birmingham compared to Lima?
The median salary in Birmingham is $63,237 compared to $61,326 in Lima. That's a +$1,911 difference.
Is Birmingham safer than Lima?
The violent crime rate near Birmingham is 376 per 100K vs 293 per 100K near Lima (state-level data). Lima has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Birmingham to match my Lima salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Lima salary by 1.02. For example, a $75,000 salary in Lima would need to be $76,652 in Birmingham. 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)