Guides
City comparison guides
How to use multi-source federal data to compare cities objectively, across the seven dimensions PlainCompare draws from: cost of living (BEA), rent (HUD), crime (FBI), jobs (BLS), schools (NCES), childcare (DOL) and environment (EPA).
According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and four other federal agencies, comparing where to live well means weighing all seven dimensions at once across 387 metro areas, not chasing a single headline figure. These guides, current to May 2026, show how to read each dataset and weigh it for your own move; every method is documented in our methodology.
How to Compare Cities with Data
A framework for evaluating metros across cost of living, safety, education, jobs, health, and environment using federal data sources.
What Metro-Level Data Tells You
Understanding metropolitan statistical areas, why they matter more than city limits, and what each data dimension reveals.
Data-Driven Relocation Decisions
How to use PlainCompare's multi-source data to evaluate potential cities before making a move.
How to Use Data for Relocation Decisions
Practical guide to using multi-factor federal data, cost, crime, schools, jobs, climate, to evaluate cities with an 8-factor framework.
Fastest-Growing Metros in America
Data ranking of U.S. metros by population, job, and income growth. Top 15 fastest-growing metros and what is driving their expansion.
Remote Work and Relocation: What the Data Says
How geographic arbitrage works, which metros offer the best purchasing power for remote workers, and how to use BEA, HUD, BLS, and FBI data to evaluate a move.
Methodology
Our guides are based on publicly available data from authoritative government sources. All statistics, ratings, and figures cited in these guides are drawn directly from official datasets and publications, with sources clearly referenced throughout.
We aim to present complex government data in plain language that is accessible to general audiences. When methodologies differ between data sources or change over time, we note these variations inline. Our editorial process includes regular reviews to ensure accuracy and timeliness of the information presented.