Pinehurst-Southern Pines Johnson City

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Favorable
Cost Index: 88.3 → 87.9
Rent Delta: -$226/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + $226/mo cheaper rent (2BR)
  • + More affordable childcare
  • + Fewer environmental violations

Cons of Moving

  • - Higher violent crime rate

Moving from Pinehurst-Southern Pines to Johnson City shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 88.3 to 87.9 (100 = US average), so a Pinehurst-Southern Pines salary needs to be multiplied by 1.00 to hold the same purchasing power in Johnson City. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,358/month in Pinehurst-Southern Pines to $1,132/month in Johnson City - a lower monthly bill of $226, or $2,712/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 $59,014 in Pinehurst-Southern Pines versus $57,056 in Johnson City - a raw gap of $1,958 lower. The Johnson City labor market has 74,580 tracked jobs against 36,690 in Pinehurst-Southern Pines, 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 Pinehurst-Southern Pines and Johnson City are 365 and 602 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 15.8:1 at origin versus 15.3:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $9,487/year in Pinehurst-Southern Pines versus $7,860/year in Johnson City. Our composite verdict - Favorable - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Pinehurst-Southern Pines
Johnson City
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 88.3
RPP 87.9
Johnson City
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,358/mo
$1,132/mo
Johnson City
💼 Wages
$59,014
$57,056
Pinehurst-Southern Pines
🔒 Crime
365 per 100K
602 per 100K
Pinehurst-Southern Pines
🎓 Schools
15.8:1
15.3:1
Johnson City
👶 Childcare
$9,487/yr
$7,860/yr
Johnson City
🌿 Environment
2788 violations
1091 violations
Johnson City

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Pinehurst-Southern Pines to see what you'd need to earn in Johnson City to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Johnson City
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Johnson City more expensive than Pinehurst-Southern Pines?
Johnson City has an RPP of 87.9 compared to Pinehurst-Southern Pines's 88.3 (100 = national average). Pinehurst-Southern Pines is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Johnson City is $1,132/mo vs $1,358/mo in Pinehurst-Southern Pines.
What are salaries like in Johnson City compared to Pinehurst-Southern Pines?
The median salary in Johnson City is $57,056 compared to $59,014 in Pinehurst-Southern Pines. That's a -$1,958 difference.
Is Johnson City safer than Pinehurst-Southern Pines?
The violent crime rate near Johnson City is 602 per 100K vs 365 per 100K near Pinehurst-Southern Pines (state-level data). Pinehurst-Southern Pines has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Johnson City to match my Pinehurst-Southern Pines salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Pinehurst-Southern Pines salary by 1.00. For example, a $75,000 salary in Pinehurst-Southern Pines would need to be $74,654 in Johnson City. 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)