Terre Haute Waterloo-Cedar Falls

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Strongly Favorable
Cost Index: 87.8 → 87.1
Rent Delta: -$43/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + $4K higher median salary
  • + Lower violent crime rate
  • + Better student-teacher ratios
  • + Fewer environmental violations

Moving from Terre Haute to Waterloo-Cedar Falls shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 87.8 to 87.1 (100 = US average), so a Terre Haute salary needs to be multiplied by 0.99 to hold the same purchasing power in Waterloo-Cedar Falls. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,094/month in Terre Haute to $1,051/month in Waterloo-Cedar Falls - a lower monthly bill of $43, or $516/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 $57,354 in Terre Haute versus $61,344 in Waterloo-Cedar Falls - a raw gap of $3,990 higher. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls labor market has 77,420 tracked jobs against 57,960 in Terre Haute, 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 Terre Haute and Waterloo-Cedar Falls are 308 and 238 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 15.9:1 at origin versus 14.8:1 at destination. Our composite verdict - Strongly Favorable - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Terre Haute
Waterloo-Cedar Falls
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 87.8
RPP 87.1
Waterloo-Cedar Falls
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,094/mo
$1,051/mo
Waterloo-Cedar Falls
💼 Wages
$57,354
$61,344
Waterloo-Cedar Falls
🔒 Crime
308 per 100K
238 per 100K
Waterloo-Cedar Falls
🎓 Schools
15.9:1
14.8:1
Waterloo-Cedar Falls
👶 Childcare
N/A
$8,306/yr
Tie
🌿 Environment
1467 violations
729 violations
Waterloo-Cedar Falls

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Terre Haute to see what you'd need to earn in Waterloo-Cedar Falls to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Waterloo-Cedar Falls
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Waterloo-Cedar Falls more expensive than Terre Haute?
Waterloo-Cedar Falls has an RPP of 87.1 compared to Terre Haute's 87.8 (100 = national average). Terre Haute is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Waterloo-Cedar Falls is $1,051/mo vs $1,094/mo in Terre Haute.
What are salaries like in Waterloo-Cedar Falls compared to Terre Haute?
The median salary in Waterloo-Cedar Falls is $61,344 compared to $57,354 in Terre Haute. That's a +$3,990 difference.
Is Waterloo-Cedar Falls safer than Terre Haute?
The violent crime rate near Waterloo-Cedar Falls is 238 per 100K vs 308 per 100K near Terre Haute (state-level data). Waterloo-Cedar Falls has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Waterloo-Cedar Falls to match my Terre Haute salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Terre Haute salary by 0.99. For example, a $75,000 salary in Terre Haute would need to be $74,368 in Waterloo-Cedar Falls. Use the salary calculator above for your exact figure.
What does the "Strongly Favorable" verdict mean?
The verdict is computed from 7 dimensions, cost of living, rent, wages, crime, schools, childcare, and environment, using federal data. "Strongly Favorable" means the destination 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)