Salary needed
A $50,000 salary in Montgomery County, PA would need to be about $35,270 in Crawford County, PA, or $14,730 less, to match the modeled cost ratio.
Montgomery County, PA vs Crawford County, PA: Cost of Living Difference
Is it cheaper?
Crawford County, PA is cheaper than Montgomery County, PA.
Moving to Crawford County, PA is estimated to save $17,643 per year.
Cheaper County
Crawford County, PASave about $17,643 per year.Salary needed
$50,000 in Montgomery County, PA is about $35,270 in Crawford County, PA.
Biggest drivers
Healthcare increases by $816 per year. Housing saves $10,346 per year.
Housing: $10,346 lower in Crawford County, PA
Taxes: $4,526 lower in Crawford County, PA
Childcare: about the same in both counties
Healthcare: $816 higher in Crawford County, PA
Food: $808 lower in Crawford County, PA
Transport: $684 higher in Crawford County, PA
Montgomery County, PA→Crawford County, PA
Equivalent salary in Crawford County, PA
$35,270
-29.46% lower
Current salary: $50,000
Household: 1 adult · 0 children
Median Income in Montgomery County, PA: $140,263
Median Income in Crawford County, PA: $74,138
Living Index in Montgomery County, PA 42.69%
Living Index in Crawford County, PA 56.98%
This estimate matches your purchasing power (equivalent salary) when moving from Montgomery County, PA to Crawford County, PA.
* Living index is estimated as (estimated total cost / area median income) * 100. A living index above 100% means modeled costs exceed median income.
Cost of Living Breakdown by Category
Summary
Moving from Montgomery County, PA to Crawford County, PA is estimated to save $17,643 per year. A $50,000 salary in Montgomery County, PA would have similar purchasing power to about $35,270 in Crawford County, PA. The largest savings come from housing and taxes.
This is a -29.46% decrease in modeled annual costs. Housing is $10,346 per year lower (-55.4%); Taxes is $4,526 per year lower (-36.95%).
Below we break down the annual categories behind the difference using Economic Policy Institute 2026 Family Budget data.
Why this comparison matters
These notes use the actual annual cost differences between Montgomery County, PA and Crawford County, PA, so the page highlights the budget tradeoffs behind the total.
Affordability vs median income
Modeled annual costs equal about 42.7% of median family income in Montgomery County, PA and 57.0% in Crawford County, PA. This matters because a cheaper county can still feel tight if typical local incomes are also lower.
Housing
Housing is $10,346 per year lower in Crawford County, PA than in Montgomery County, PA. Housing usually behaves like a fixed monthly commitment, so this matters most for renters or buyers checking whether Crawford County, PA changes their baseline budget.
Food
Food is $808 per year lower in Crawford County, PA than in Montgomery County, PA. Food costs affect weekly cash flow, so even a smaller annual gap in Crawford County, PA can show up quickly for households that cook most meals at home.
Transportation
Transportation is $684 per year higher in Crawford County, PA than in Montgomery County, PA. Transportation matters for commuters because driving distance, vehicle costs, and transit access can change how much of a salary is left after getting around Crawford County, PA.
Healthcare
Healthcare is $816 per year higher in Crawford County, PA than in Montgomery County, PA. Healthcare differences are useful for planning premiums and out-of-pocket exposure, especially if Crawford County, PA changes provider networks or plan options.
Other necessities
Other necessities is $3,463 per year lower in Crawford County, PA than in Montgomery County, PA. Other necessities cover everyday basics, so changes in Crawford County, PA help explain the non-housing costs that can quietly add up month after month.
Childcare
Childcare is about the same in Montgomery County, PA and Crawford County, PA, so this category is not a major driver of the modeled gap. Childcare is most important for households with children; in Crawford County, PA, this line can swing the result even when housing or taxes look manageable.
Taxes
Taxes is $4,526 per year lower in Crawford County, PA than in Montgomery County, PA. Taxes affect take-home pay, so the gap in Crawford County, PA matters even if the headline salary looks similar before deductions.
What changed the most?
The following cards show the annual category differences that most affect the move to Crawford County, PA.
Biggest Cost
Largest annual cost increase when moving to Crawford County, PA
Annual Increase:
$816 per year
HEALTHCARE has the largest annual increase when moving to Crawford County, PA.
Biggest Savings
Largest annual savings when moving to Crawford County, PA
Annual Savings:
$10,346 per year
HOUSING has the largest annual savings when moving to Crawford County, PA.
Breakdown of price percentages per category.
Numbers are average costs per section.
| Category | Difference | |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | -55% lower | |
| Food | -16% lower | |
| Transport | 5% higher | |
| Healthcare | 21% higher | |
| Other Costs | -47% lower | |
| Childcare | 0% higher | |
| Taxes | -37% lower |
In Crawford County, PA, modeled annual costs are $42,242 compared with $59,885 in Montgomery County, PA.
Overall, annual costs are lower in Crawford County, PA. The category breakdown above shows where the move creates the most room in the budget.
In this case Crawford County, PA is not a metropolitan location, while Montgomery County, PA is a metropolitan location.
Use our map to visually compare multiple counties at once.
