Wichita Lewiston-Auburn

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Neutral — Depends on Priorities
Cost Index: 88.9 → 94.7
Rent Delta: +$487/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + Lower violent crime rate
  • + Better student-teacher ratios
  • + Fewer environmental violations

Cons of Moving

  • - 6% higher cost of living
  • - $487/mo more expensive rent (2BR)
  • - More expensive childcare

Moving from Wichita to Lewiston-Auburn shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 88.9 to 94.7 (100 = US average), so a Wichita salary needs to be multiplied by 1.07 to hold the same purchasing power in Lewiston-Auburn. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,099/month in Wichita to $1,586/month in Lewiston-Auburn - a higher monthly bill of $487, or $5,844/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 $60,852 in Wichita versus $62,617 in Lewiston-Auburn - a raw gap of $1,765 higher. The Lewiston-Auburn labor market has 41,990 tracked jobs against 300,890 in Wichita, 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 Wichita and Lewiston-Auburn are 456 and 102 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 13.8:1 at origin versus 11.1:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $5,783/year in Wichita versus $11,325/year in Lewiston-Auburn. 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
Wichita
Lewiston-Auburn
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 88.9
RPP 94.7
Wichita
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,099/mo
$1,586/mo
Wichita
💼 Wages
$60,852
$62,617
Lewiston-Auburn
🔒 Crime
456 per 100K
102 per 100K
Lewiston-Auburn
🎓 Schools
13.8:1
11.1:1
Lewiston-Auburn
👶 Childcare
$5,783/yr
$11,325/yr
Wichita
🌿 Environment
3784 violations
799 violations
Lewiston-Auburn

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Wichita to see what you'd need to earn in Lewiston-Auburn to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Lewiston-Auburn
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Lewiston-Auburn more expensive than Wichita?
Lewiston-Auburn has an RPP of 94.7 compared to Wichita's 88.9 (100 = national average). Lewiston-Auburn is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Lewiston-Auburn is $1,586/mo vs $1,099/mo in Wichita.
What are salaries like in Lewiston-Auburn compared to Wichita?
The median salary in Lewiston-Auburn is $62,617 compared to $60,852 in Wichita. That's a +$1,765 difference.
Is Lewiston-Auburn safer than Wichita?
The violent crime rate near Lewiston-Auburn is 102 per 100K vs 456 per 100K near Wichita (state-level data). Lewiston-Auburn has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Lewiston-Auburn to match my Wichita salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Wichita salary by 1.07. For example, a $75,000 salary in Wichita would need to be $79,882 in Lewiston-Auburn. 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)