Raleigh-Cary Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Favorable
Cost Index: 98.2 → 96.3
Rent Delta: -$20/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + More affordable childcare
  • + Fewer environmental violations

Cons of Moving

  • - Higher violent crime rate

Moving from Raleigh-Cary to Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 98.2 to 96.3 (100 = US average), so a Raleigh-Cary salary needs to be multiplied by 0.98 to hold the same purchasing power in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,750/month in Raleigh-Cary to $1,730/month in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin - a lower monthly bill of $20, or $240/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 $68,693 in Raleigh-Cary versus $67,856 in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin - a raw gap of $837 lower. The Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin labor market has 1,079,340 tracked jobs against 725,130 in Raleigh-Cary, 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 Raleigh-Cary and Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin 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 Raleigh-Cary versus $7,860/year in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin. Our composite verdict - Favorable - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Raleigh-Cary
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 98.2
RPP 96.3
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,750/mo
$1,730/mo
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin
💼 Wages
$68,693
$67,856
Raleigh-Cary
🔒 Crime
365 per 100K
602 per 100K
Raleigh-Cary
🎓 Schools
15.8:1
15.3:1
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin
👶 Childcare
$9,487/yr
$7,860/yr
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin
🌿 Environment
2788 violations
1091 violations
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Raleigh-Cary to see what you'd need to earn in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin more expensive than Raleigh-Cary?
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin has an RPP of 96.3 compared to Raleigh-Cary's 98.2 (100 = national average). Raleigh-Cary is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin is $1,730/mo vs $1,750/mo in Raleigh-Cary.
What are salaries like in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin compared to Raleigh-Cary?
The median salary in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin is $67,856 compared to $68,693 in Raleigh-Cary. That's a -$837 difference.
Is Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin safer than Raleigh-Cary?
The violent crime rate near Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin is 602 per 100K vs 365 per 100K near Raleigh-Cary (state-level data). Raleigh-Cary has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin to match my Raleigh-Cary salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Raleigh-Cary salary by 0.98. For example, a $75,000 salary in Raleigh-Cary would need to be $73,610 in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin. 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)