Waterloo-Cedar Falls Goldsboro

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Unfavorable
Cost Index: 87.1 → 88.5
Rent Delta: +$193/mo

Cons of Moving

  • - $193/mo more expensive rent (2BR)
  • - $5K lower median salary
  • - Higher violent crime rate
  • - More environmental violations

Moving from Waterloo-Cedar Falls to Goldsboro shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 87.1 to 88.5 (100 = US average), so a Waterloo-Cedar Falls salary needs to be multiplied by 1.02 to hold the same purchasing power in Goldsboro. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,051/month in Waterloo-Cedar Falls to $1,244/month in Goldsboro - a higher monthly bill of $193, or $2,316/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 $61,344 in Waterloo-Cedar Falls versus $56,464 in Goldsboro - a raw gap of $4,880 lower. The Goldsboro labor market has 34,170 tracked jobs against 77,420 in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls and Goldsboro are 238 and 365 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 14.8:1 at origin versus 15.8:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $8,306/year in Waterloo-Cedar Falls versus $9,487/year in Goldsboro. Our composite verdict - Unfavorable - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Waterloo-Cedar Falls
Goldsboro
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 87.1
RPP 88.5
Waterloo-Cedar Falls
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,051/mo
$1,244/mo
Waterloo-Cedar Falls
💼 Wages
$61,344
$56,464
Waterloo-Cedar Falls
🔒 Crime
238 per 100K
365 per 100K
Waterloo-Cedar Falls
🎓 Schools
14.8:1
15.8:1
Waterloo-Cedar Falls
👶 Childcare
$8,306/yr
$9,487/yr
Waterloo-Cedar Falls
🌿 Environment
729 violations
2788 violations
Waterloo-Cedar Falls

Salary Adjustment Calculator

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

Equivalent salary in Goldsboro
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Goldsboro more expensive than Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Goldsboro has an RPP of 88.5 compared to Waterloo-Cedar Falls's 87.1 (100 = national average). Goldsboro is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Goldsboro is $1,244/mo vs $1,051/mo in Waterloo-Cedar Falls.
What are salaries like in Goldsboro compared to Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
The median salary in Goldsboro is $56,464 compared to $61,344 in Waterloo-Cedar Falls. That's a -$4,880 difference.
Is Goldsboro safer than Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
The violent crime rate near Goldsboro is 365 per 100K vs 238 per 100K near Waterloo-Cedar Falls (state-level data). Waterloo-Cedar Falls has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Goldsboro to match my Waterloo-Cedar Falls salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Waterloo-Cedar Falls salary by 1.02. For example, a $75,000 salary in Waterloo-Cedar Falls would need to be $76,210 in Goldsboro. Use the salary calculator above for your exact figure.
What does the "Unfavorable" verdict mean?
The verdict is computed from 7 dimensions, cost of living, rent, wages, crime, schools, childcare, and environment, using federal data. "Unfavorable" means the origin 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)