PlainCompare
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About PlainCompare

PlainCompare is a free tool that lets you compare U.S. metro areas and states side by side across seven key dimensions:

  1. Cost of Living — Regional Price Parities from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA)
  2. Rent — HUD Fair Market Rents for studios through 4-bedroom units
  3. Crime — FBI Uniform Crime Report violent and property crime rates
  4. Wages — Bureau of Labor Statistics occupational salary data
  5. Schools — NCES enrollment, student-teacher ratios, and charter school data
  6. Childcare — Department of Labor childcare cost estimates
  7. Environment — EPA facility counts, water systems, and Superfund sites

How It Works

Select two cities or states using the comparison tool on the homepage. PlainCompare queries seven separate government databases in real time and presents the results in a clear, side-by-side format with winner highlights.

Data Sources

All data comes from official U.S. government sources. PlainCompare is not affiliated with any government agency. Data is provided as-is for informational purposes only.

Contact

PlainCompare is part of the Kiznis Studio network of public data portals.