Pittsburgh Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Unfavorable
Cost Index: 94.7 → 98.1
Rent Delta: +$553/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + $6K higher median salary

Cons of Moving

  • - 3% higher cost of living
  • - $553/mo more expensive rent (2BR)
  • - Higher violent crime rate
  • - Higher student-teacher ratios
  • - More environmental violations

Moving from Pittsburgh to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 94.7 to 98.1 (100 = US average), so a Pittsburgh salary needs to be multiplied by 1.04 to hold the same purchasing power in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,299/month in Pittsburgh to $1,852/month in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos - a higher monthly bill of $553, or $6,636/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 $65,551 in Pittsburgh versus $71,789 in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos - a raw gap of $6,238 higher. The Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos labor market has 1,265,270 tracked jobs against 1,098,020 in Pittsburgh, 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 Pittsburgh and Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos are 250 and 395 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 13.6:1 at origin versus 14.7:1 at destination. Our composite verdict - Unfavorable - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Pittsburgh
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 94.7
RPP 98.1
Pittsburgh
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,299/mo
$1,852/mo
Pittsburgh
💼 Wages
$65,551
$71,789
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos
🔒 Crime
250 per 100K
395 per 100K
Pittsburgh
🎓 Schools
13.6:1
14.7:1
Pittsburgh
👶 Childcare
N/A
$7,566/yr
Tie
🌿 Environment
5198 violations
33822 violations
Pittsburgh

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Pittsburgh to see what you'd need to earn in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos more expensive than Pittsburgh?
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos has an RPP of 98.1 compared to Pittsburgh's 94.7 (100 = national average). Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos is $1,852/mo vs $1,299/mo in Pittsburgh.
What are salaries like in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos compared to Pittsburgh?
The median salary in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos is $71,789 compared to $65,551 in Pittsburgh. That's a +$6,238 difference.
Is Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos safer than Pittsburgh?
The violent crime rate near Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos is 395 per 100K vs 250 per 100K near Pittsburgh (state-level data). Pittsburgh has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos to match my Pittsburgh salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Pittsburgh salary by 1.04. For example, a $75,000 salary in Pittsburgh would need to be $77,690 in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos. Use the salary calculator above for your exact figure.
What does the "Unfavorable" verdict mean?
The verdict is computed from 7 dimensions, cost of living, rent, wages, crime, schools, childcare, and environment, using federal data. "Unfavorable" means the origin clearly wins on most 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)