Louisville/Jefferson County Charlottesville

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Less Favorable
Cost Index: 93.1 → 99.1
Rent Delta: +$552/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + $4K higher median salary
  • + Better student-teacher ratios

Cons of Moving

  • - 6% higher cost of living
  • - $552/mo more expensive rent (2BR)
  • - More expensive childcare

Moving from Louisville/Jefferson County to Charlottesville shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 93.1 to 99.1 (100 = US average), so a Louisville/Jefferson County salary needs to be multiplied by 1.07 to hold the same purchasing power in Charlottesville. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,272/month in Louisville/Jefferson County to $1,824/month in Charlottesville - a higher monthly bill of $552, or $6,624/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 $66,989 in Louisville/Jefferson County versus $70,567 in Charlottesville - a raw gap of $3,578 higher. The Charlottesville labor market has 96,390 tracked jobs against 667,710 in Louisville/Jefferson County, 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 Louisville/Jefferson County and Charlottesville are 225 and 223 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 15.2:1 at origin versus 13.9:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $7,238/year in Louisville/Jefferson County versus $10,407/year in Charlottesville. Our composite verdict - Less Favorable - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Louisville/Jefferson County
Charlottesville
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 93.1
RPP 99.1
Louisville/Jefferson County
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,272/mo
$1,824/mo
Louisville/Jefferson County
💼 Wages
$66,989
$70,567
Charlottesville
🔒 Crime
225 per 100K
223 per 100K
Charlottesville
🎓 Schools
15.2:1
13.9:1
Charlottesville
👶 Childcare
$7,238/yr
$10,407/yr
Louisville/Jefferson County
🌿 Environment
1788 violations
1855 violations
Louisville/Jefferson County

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Louisville/Jefferson County to see what you'd need to earn in Charlottesville to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Charlottesville
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Charlottesville more expensive than Louisville/Jefferson County?
Charlottesville has an RPP of 99.1 compared to Louisville/Jefferson County's 93.1 (100 = national average). Charlottesville is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Charlottesville is $1,824/mo vs $1,272/mo in Louisville/Jefferson County.
What are salaries like in Charlottesville compared to Louisville/Jefferson County?
The median salary in Charlottesville is $70,567 compared to $66,989 in Louisville/Jefferson County. That's a +$3,578 difference.
Is Charlottesville safer than Louisville/Jefferson County?
The violent crime rate near Charlottesville is 223 per 100K vs 225 per 100K near Louisville/Jefferson County (state-level data). Charlottesville has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Charlottesville to match my Louisville/Jefferson County salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Louisville/Jefferson County salary by 1.07. For example, a $75,000 salary in Louisville/Jefferson County would need to be $79,893 in Charlottesville. 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)