Salem → Akron
Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources
Should you move?
Moving from Salem to Akron is favorable: BEA regional price parity goes from 103.6 to 93.4 (US = 100), and HUD 2-bedroom rent falls by $292/mo.
- -$8,192
- BLS median salary lower in Akron
- 335 to 293
- violent crimes per 100K (FBI UCR, state-level)
- 17.6:1 to 18.2:1
- NCES student-teacher ratio
- $848
- DOL infant care lower / yr in Akron
BEA Regional Price Parity, HUD Fair Market Rent, BLS OEWS, FBI UCR, NCES, and DOL. The table below lets you override the composite with your own priorities.
Pros of Moving
- + 10% lower cost of living
- + $292/mo cheaper rent (2BR)
- + Fewer environmental violations
Cons of Moving
- - $8K lower median salary
Purchasing power opens up: BEA RPP falls from 103.6 to 93.4, so each dollar covers more in Akron (ratio 0.90). HUD 2BR Fair Market Rent drops $292/mo ($3,504/yr) from $1,560 in Salem to $1,268 in Akron.
Akron leads on 5 of 7 federal dimensions, a destination-heavy ledger. Akron sits #245 of 387 metros on PlainRelocate livability (middle third). Salem is #278/387 on the same ranking. Composite verdict: Favorable. Override it with the dimension table below.
BLS OEWS median salary moves $8,192 lower ($73,178 → $64,986). Labor-market size: 179,820 tracked jobs at origin vs 311,740 at destination.
State retirement friendliness favors the destination: Ohio scores 59 (D, #29/51) vs Oregon at 41 (F, #49/51). Full state tax and healthcare sub-scores sit in the retirement desk below.
State retirement friendliness
Primary-state scores from PlainRelocate's retirement registry (tax + healthcare + climate composite). Metro pairs use each metro's primary state abbreviation.
- Income tax
- 62
- Property tax
- 64
- Estate tax
- 50
- Healthcare
- 14
- Income tax
- 72
- Property tax
- 57
- Estate tax
- 100
- Healthcare
- 10
Full retirement ranking · Source composite documented on methodology (Tax Foundation + AARP tax guides + federal healthcare/climate inputs).
Salary Adjustment Calculator
Enter your current salary in Salem to see what you'd need to earn in Akron to maintain the same purchasing power.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA; retirement desk: Tax Foundation + AARP tax guides June 2026