PlainRelocate

Waterloo-Cedar Falls → Mount Vernon-Anacortes

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Should you move?

Moving from Waterloo-Cedar Falls to Mount Vernon-Anacortes is unfavorable: BEA regional price parity goes from 87.1 to 102.4 (US = 100), and HUD 2-bedroom rent rises by $669/mo.

+$13,291
BLS median salary higher in Mount Vernon-Anacortes
238 to 329
violent crimes per 100K (FBI UCR, state-level)
14.8:1 to 17.6:1
NCES student-teacher ratio
$7,681
DOL infant care higher / yr in Mount Vernon-Anacortes

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.

Verdict
Unfavorable
Cost Index: 87.1 → 102.4
Rent Delta: +$669/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + $13K higher median salary

Cons of Moving

  • - 15% higher cost of living
  • - $669/mo more expensive rent (2BR)
  • - Higher violent crime rate
  • - Higher student-teacher ratios
  • - More expensive childcare
  • - More environmental violations

Purchasing power tightens: BEA RPP rises from 87.1 to 102.4, so the same paycheck buys less in Mount Vernon-Anacortes (ratio 1.18). HUD 2BR Fair Market Rent rises $669/mo ($8,028/yr) from $1,051 in Waterloo-Cedar Falls to $1,720 in Mount Vernon-Anacortes.

Waterloo-Cedar Falls still leads on 6 of 7 federal dimensions, the origin keeps the edge. Mount Vernon-Anacortes sits #253 of 387 metros on PlainRelocate livability (middle third). Waterloo-Cedar Falls is #66/387 on the same ranking. Composite verdict: Unfavorable. Override it with the dimension table below.

BLS OEWS median salary moves $13,291 higher ($61,344 → $74,635). Labor-market size: 77,420 tracked jobs at origin vs 46,720 at destination.

State retirement friendliness favors staying put: Iowa scores 70 (B, #8/51) vs Washington at 38 (F, #51/51). Full state tax and healthcare sub-scores sit in the retirement desk below.

Dimension
Waterloo-Cedar Falls
Mount Vernon-Anacortes
Winner
Cost of Living
RPP 87.1
RPP 102.4
Waterloo-Cedar Falls
Rent (2BR)
$1,051/mo
$1,720/mo
Waterloo-Cedar Falls
Wages
$61,344
$74,635
Mount Vernon-Anacortes
Crime
238 per 100K
329 per 100K
Waterloo-Cedar Falls
Schools
14.8:1
17.6:1
Waterloo-Cedar Falls
Childcare
$8,306/yr
$15,987/yr
Waterloo-Cedar Falls
Environment
742 violations
2879 violations
Waterloo-Cedar Falls

State retirement friendliness

Primary-state scores from PlainRelocate's retirement registry (tax + healthcare + climate composite). Metro pairs use each metro's primary state abbreviation.

Origin state · Iowa
70 B #8/51
Income tax
85
Property tax
58
Estate tax
50
Healthcare
42
Destination state · Washington
38 F #51/51
Income tax
63
Property tax
63
Estate tax
50
Healthcare
18

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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls to see what you'd need to earn in Mount Vernon-Anacortes to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Mount Vernon-Anacortes
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See the reverse: Mount Vernon-Anacortes → Waterloo-Cedar Falls

Mount Vernon-Anacortes metro profile · Livability rankings · Methodology

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