Parkersburg-Vienna Carson City

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Less Favorable
Cost Index: 87.1 → 98.1
Rent Delta: +$618/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + $10K higher median salary
  • + Fewer environmental violations

Cons of Moving

  • - 11% higher cost of living
  • - $618/mo more expensive rent (2BR)
  • - Higher violent crime rate
  • - Higher student-teacher ratios

Moving from Parkersburg-Vienna to Carson City shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 87.1 to 98.1 (100 = US average), so a Parkersburg-Vienna salary needs to be multiplied by 1.13 to hold the same purchasing power in Carson City. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $928/month in Parkersburg-Vienna to $1,546/month in Carson City - a higher monthly bill of $618, or $7,416/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 $56,041 in Parkersburg-Vienna versus $66,022 in Carson City - a raw gap of $9,981 higher. The Carson City labor market has 25,810 tracked jobs against 30,150 in Parkersburg-Vienna, 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 Parkersburg-Vienna and Carson City are 242 and 407 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 13.1:1 at origin versus 20.5:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $8,974/year in Parkersburg-Vienna versus $10,033/year in Carson City. Our composite verdict - Less Favorable - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Parkersburg-Vienna
Carson City
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 87.1
RPP 98.1
Parkersburg-Vienna
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$928/mo
$1,546/mo
Parkersburg-Vienna
💼 Wages
$56,041
$66,022
Carson City
🔒 Crime
242 per 100K
407 per 100K
Parkersburg-Vienna
🎓 Schools
13.1:1
20.5:1
Parkersburg-Vienna
👶 Childcare
$8,974/yr
$10,033/yr
Parkersburg-Vienna
🌿 Environment
2371 violations
970 violations
Carson City

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Parkersburg-Vienna to see what you'd need to earn in Carson City to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Carson City
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Carson City more expensive than Parkersburg-Vienna?
Carson City has an RPP of 98.1 compared to Parkersburg-Vienna's 87.1 (100 = national average). Carson City is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Carson City is $1,546/mo vs $928/mo in Parkersburg-Vienna.
What are salaries like in Carson City compared to Parkersburg-Vienna?
The median salary in Carson City is $66,022 compared to $56,041 in Parkersburg-Vienna. That's a +$9,981 difference.
Is Carson City safer than Parkersburg-Vienna?
The violent crime rate near Carson City is 407 per 100K vs 242 per 100K near Parkersburg-Vienna (state-level data). Parkersburg-Vienna has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Carson City to match my Parkersburg-Vienna salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Parkersburg-Vienna salary by 1.13. For example, a $75,000 salary in Parkersburg-Vienna would need to be $84,531 in Carson City. 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)