Frequently Asked Questions

PlainCompare pulls from seven official U.S. government databases: BEA Regional Price Parities (cost of living), HUD Fair Market Rents, FBI Uniform Crime Report, BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, NCES school data, Department of Labor childcare estimates, and EPA environmental data.

PlainCompare covers U.S. metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) and states. Data availability varies by dimension — some metrics are only available at the state level for rural areas. Large metros have the most complete data across all seven dimensions.

Winner highlights indicate which location scores better on that specific metric, not an overall verdict. A city can win on cost of living but lose on wages or schools. The comparison is designed to show tradeoffs, not declare an overall winner.

Each data dimension reflects the most recent release from its source agency. BEA cost of living data typically lags 1–2 years; FBI crime data by about 1 year; HUD rent data is updated annually. Vintage varies by source — see the Methodology page for specifics.

FBI Uniform Reporting program crime reporting is voluntary. Not all law enforcement agencies submit data every year, and some small agencies are excluded. If a metro area has limited reporting coverage, crime data may be partial or absent.

No. PlainCompare is an independent data portal that presents publicly available government data in a more accessible format. We are not affiliated with the BEA, HUD, FBI, BLS, NCES, DOL, or EPA.

Yes — PlainCompare is designed for relocation research and cost-of-living comparison. The data gives you a data-driven baseline for comparing metros. For a deeper dive, see related portals like PlainRent (housing costs), PlainCost (cost of living detail), and PlainCrime (crime statistics).