Washington-Arlington-Alexandria Terre Haute

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Neutral — Depends on Priorities
Cost Index: 108.9 → 87.8
Rent Delta: -$1,152/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + 21% lower cost of living
  • + $1152/mo cheaper rent (2BR)
  • + Lower violent crime rate

Cons of Moving

  • - $25K lower median salary
  • - Higher student-teacher ratios
  • - More environmental violations

Moving from Washington-Arlington-Alexandria to Terre Haute shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 108.9 to 87.8 (100 = US average), so a Washington-Arlington-Alexandria salary needs to be multiplied by 0.81 to hold the same purchasing power in Terre Haute. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $2,246/month in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria to $1,094/month in Terre Haute - a lower monthly bill of $1,152, or $13,824/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 $82,744 in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria versus $57,354 in Terre Haute - a raw gap of $25,390 lower. The Terre Haute labor market has 57,960 tracked jobs against 3,082,600 in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria and Terre Haute are 1015 and 308 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 12.3:1 at origin versus 15.9:1 at destination. Our composite verdict - Neutral — Depends on Priorities - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria
Terre Haute
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 108.9
RPP 87.8
Terre Haute
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$2,246/mo
$1,094/mo
Terre Haute
💼 Wages
$82,744
$57,354
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria
🔒 Crime
1015 per 100K
308 per 100K
Terre Haute
🎓 Schools
12.3:1
15.9:1
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria
👶 Childcare
$25,480/yr
N/A
Tie
🌿 Environment
51 violations
1467 violations
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria to see what you'd need to earn in Terre Haute to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Terre Haute
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Terre Haute more expensive than Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Terre Haute has an RPP of 87.8 compared to Washington-Arlington-Alexandria's 108.9 (100 = national average). Washington-Arlington-Alexandria is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Terre Haute is $1,094/mo vs $2,246/mo in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria.
What are salaries like in Terre Haute compared to Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
The median salary in Terre Haute is $57,354 compared to $82,744 in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria. That's a -$25,390 difference.
Is Terre Haute safer than Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
The violent crime rate near Terre Haute is 308 per 100K vs 1015 per 100K near Washington-Arlington-Alexandria (state-level data). Terre Haute has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Terre Haute to match my Washington-Arlington-Alexandria salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Washington-Arlington-Alexandria salary by 0.81. For example, a $75,000 salary in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria would need to be $60,475 in Terre Haute. Use the salary calculator above for your exact figure.
What does the "Neutral — Depends on Priorities" verdict mean?
The verdict is computed from 7 dimensions, cost of living, rent, wages, crime, schools, childcare, and environment, using federal data. "Neutral — Depends on Priorities" means both metros are roughly equivalent across the 7 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)