Richmond Sierra Vista-Douglas

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Less Favorable
Cost Index: 97.9 → 89.2
Rent Delta: -$398/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + 9% lower cost of living
  • + $398/mo cheaper rent (2BR)

Cons of Moving

  • - $9K lower median salary
  • - Higher violent crime rate
  • - Higher student-teacher ratios
  • - More environmental violations

Moving from Richmond to Sierra Vista-Douglas shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 97.9 to 89.2 (100 = US average), so a Richmond salary needs to be multiplied by 0.91 to hold the same purchasing power in Sierra Vista-Douglas. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,655/month in Richmond to $1,257/month in Sierra Vista-Douglas - a lower monthly bill of $398, or $4,776/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 $71,318 in Richmond versus $62,643 in Sierra Vista-Douglas - a raw gap of $8,675 lower. The Sierra Vista-Douglas labor market has 28,720 tracked jobs against 637,140 in Richmond, 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 Richmond and Sierra Vista-Douglas are 223 and 429 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 13.9:1 at origin versus 17:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $10,407/year in Richmond versus $11,301/year in Sierra Vista-Douglas. Our composite verdict - Less Favorable - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Richmond
Sierra Vista-Douglas
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 97.9
RPP 89.2
Sierra Vista-Douglas
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,655/mo
$1,257/mo
Sierra Vista-Douglas
💼 Wages
$71,318
$62,643
Richmond
🔒 Crime
223 per 100K
429 per 100K
Richmond
🎓 Schools
13.9:1
17:1
Richmond
👶 Childcare
$10,407/yr
$11,301/yr
Richmond
🌿 Environment
1855 violations
4821 violations
Richmond

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Richmond to see what you'd need to earn in Sierra Vista-Douglas to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Sierra Vista-Douglas
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Sierra Vista-Douglas more expensive than Richmond?
Sierra Vista-Douglas has an RPP of 89.2 compared to Richmond's 97.9 (100 = national average). Richmond is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Sierra Vista-Douglas is $1,257/mo vs $1,655/mo in Richmond.
What are salaries like in Sierra Vista-Douglas compared to Richmond?
The median salary in Sierra Vista-Douglas is $62,643 compared to $71,318 in Richmond. That's a -$8,675 difference.
Is Sierra Vista-Douglas safer than Richmond?
The violent crime rate near Sierra Vista-Douglas is 429 per 100K vs 223 per 100K near Richmond (state-level data). Richmond has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Sierra Vista-Douglas to match my Richmond salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Richmond salary by 0.91. For example, a $75,000 salary in Richmond would need to be $68,397 in Sierra Vista-Douglas. 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)