Medford Wichita Falls

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Favorable
Cost Index: 101.4 → 89.5
Rent Delta: -$394/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + 12% lower cost of living
  • + $394/mo cheaper rent (2BR)
  • + Better student-teacher ratios
  • + More affordable childcare

Cons of Moving

  • - $11K lower median salary
  • - More environmental violations

Moving from Medford to Wichita Falls shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 101.4 to 89.5 (100 = US average), so a Medford salary needs to be multiplied by 0.88 to hold the same purchasing power in Wichita Falls. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,530/month in Medford to $1,136/month in Wichita Falls - a lower monthly bill of $394, or $4,728/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 $67,561 in Medford versus $56,840 in Wichita Falls - a raw gap of $10,721 lower. The Wichita Falls labor market has 49,490 tracked jobs against 82,860 in Medford, 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 Medford and Wichita Falls are 335 and 395 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 17.6:1 at origin versus 14.7:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $12,639/year in Medford versus $7,566/year in Wichita Falls. Our composite verdict - Favorable - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Medford
Wichita Falls
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 101.4
RPP 89.5
Wichita Falls
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,530/mo
$1,136/mo
Wichita Falls
💼 Wages
$67,561
$56,840
Medford
🔒 Crime
335 per 100K
395 per 100K
Medford
🎓 Schools
17.6:1
14.7:1
Wichita Falls
👶 Childcare
$12,639/yr
$7,566/yr
Wichita Falls
🌿 Environment
2578 violations
33822 violations
Medford

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Medford 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 Medford?
Wichita Falls has an RPP of 89.5 compared to Medford's 101.4 (100 = national average). Medford is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Wichita Falls is $1,136/mo vs $1,530/mo in Medford.
What are salaries like in Wichita Falls compared to Medford?
The median salary in Wichita Falls is $56,840 compared to $67,561 in Medford. That's a -$10,721 difference.
Is Wichita Falls safer than Medford?
The violent crime rate near Wichita Falls is 395 per 100K vs 335 per 100K near Medford (state-level data). Medford has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Wichita Falls to match my Medford salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Medford salary by 0.88. For example, a $75,000 salary in Medford would need to be $66,186 in Wichita Falls. Use the salary calculator above for your exact figure.
What does the "Favorable" verdict mean?
The verdict is computed from 7 dimensions, cost of living, rent, wages, crime, schools, childcare, and environment, using federal data. "Favorable" means the destination 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)