Cities with the highest — and lowest — cost of living

[GON]

I always take these articles with huge skepticism, but the information can provide some ideas to help one dig deeper in search of the facts.


"Behold the "coastal tax": good and services tend to be more expensive in U.S. cities along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts as compared to inland areas, per a new analysis.

The big picture: There are some exceptions, however — mostly in the mid- and south Atlantic.

Driving the news: Each quarter, the Council for Community and Economic Research assembles a cost-of-living index designed to measure "regional differences in the cost of consumer goods and services."

• The group's proverbial bucket includes housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, health care, and miscellaneous goods and services, and is based on spending by "professional and managerial households in the top income quintile."
• The result: A snapshot in time useful for comparing relative costs across cities.

How it works: An index value of 100 represents the national average cost of living across 269 cities.

• If a city has a value over 100, its cost of living is higher than average. Under 100, lower than average.

By the numbers: Among cities with more than 100,000 residents, Honolulu (179.2), San Jose (171.3) and San Francisco (169.5) had the country's highest relative cost of living as of the third quarter of 2023.

• Residents of McAllen, Texas (80.2); Augusta, Georgia (82.8); and Amarillo, Texas (84.4) were enjoying the lowest cost of living.

Yes, but: If Manhattan were its own city, it would hold the top spot, at 227.8.




Zoom in: Looking just at relative grocery prices, San Francisco (122.4), Fairbanks (121.6) and Juneau (121.4) came in highest.

• The latter two make sense, given the higher cost of shipping goods to Alaska.
• Pierre, South Dakota (90.6); Houma, Louisiana (91.4); and Thibodaux, Louisiana (91.5) had the lowest relative grocery prices.

Of note: Because the list of participating cities changes each quarter, the cost-of-living index can't be used to measure inflation — but other indicators suggest that higher prices are certainly sticking around.

The bottom line: Looking to cut costs? Consider a move — especially if you're still working remotely and can carry a New York salary to, say, Amarillo."
https://www.axios.com/2023/11/09/lowest-highest-cost-of-living-cities-us-map

 

[99Saturn]

Thought this mention was interesting in the methodology:
based on spending by "professional and managerial households in the top income quintile."

Some more details around methodology for those that are interested:
http://c2c.coli.org/compare.asp?action=methodology

 

[Leo99]

I guess. It's nothing earth shattering that things cost more where it's more desirable to live.

 

[Lyman]

Im in San Diego 141.7

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Interesting that Philadelphia (102) costs less than Allentown (103)

Pittsburgh (98) seems too close to Philadelphia. i thought it would be lower, perhaps closer to Cleveland (89)

 

[Carmudgeon]

I guess. It's nothing earth shattering that things cost more where it's more desirable to live.

And once people discover the "hidden gems" and flock there, prices will rise in those places as well.

Rinse, recycle, repeat.

 

[andrew_j]

I guess. It's nothing earth shattering that things cost more where it's more desirable to live.

Also typically where average income supports is higher.

 

[Propflux01]

95.2 here in Arkansastan.

 

[wings&wheels]

Also typically where average income supports is higher.

Stronger economies, colleges/universities, better public school systems and, unfortunately many of these areas also have high tax burdens.

148 here.

 

[supton]

Manchester NH comes in at 115%, but it doesn't show Concord, and of course I don't live in either.

 

[gfh77665]

I guess. It's nothing earth shattering that things cost more where it's more desirable to live.

Is there a mass rush to get into San Francisco, Fairbanks, and Juneau?

 

[Bill7]

Articles like this can be deceiving, but thanks for posting it.

Sometimes you can find a really low cost of living town in a high tax state for example.

Some items that I evaluate an area on are:
-Stable property taxes
-No HOA fees
-Having a state university that offers free tuition if your family income is less than 100k (perfect for parents who are retired and have college age children).
-Within driving distance of a major international airport so airline prices are low (no need to take regional airlines to transfer that add extra cost).
-Within driving distance of a major port, so you can take the family on 2 week cruises without having to pay for airline tickets for a big family just to get to the cruise ship.
-Having a major city within commuting distance where the saleries are much higher than the national average.
-Living in a place where auto insurance is about $400 a year per car, and house insurance is a reasonable price and barely changes year to year.
-Living in a place with zero crime (so you or your family never have to worry about being a victim ever).
-Living in a tranquil place that is so peaceful you can image yourself living to 100 years old, as the place you live has zero stress and 0 things to worry about. It just relaxes you with forests, clean air, dirt roads, nice views, etc.

 

[Dave Hess]

I’m moving out of Florida in 2 years and going to ______ .

 

[IndyIan]

Is there a mass rush to get into San Francisco, Fairbanks, and Juneau?

Well I guess there's enough to keep the property values high... I've never been to any of them but, I'm always amazed at what people will pay to live in/near a big city. Some are quite nice I guess and a short commute is worth paying a bit for.
Vancouver house prices I understand, with limited land area surrounded by pretty nice wilderness and ocean. Toronto I don't really get it, but its a nice place to visit. Boston, New York, L.A.? nice to visit but not for me to live there...

 

[4strokes]

Im in San Diego 141.7

I live in the Rust Belt cheap but San Diego is paradise.

 

[Pablo]

You moving again?

Other than all the loons and hippies I live in paradise. Stuff can be expense. Make more money!

 

[Dave Hess]

You moving again?

Other than all the loons and hippies I live in paradise. Stuff can be expense. Make more money!

I was in Seattle area back in July and all those small sheds people living in made the city look terrible.

Outside of Seattle the area is very nice and no homeless meth heads roaming around.

 

[gfh77665]

Well I guess there's enough to keep the property values high... I've never been to any of them but, I'm always amazed at what people will pay to live in/near a big city. Some are quite nice I guess and a short commute is worth paying a bit for.
Vancouver house prices I understand, with limited land area surrounded by pretty nice wilderness and ocean. Toronto I don't really get it, but its a nice place to visit. Boston, New York, L.A.? nice to visit but not for me to live there...

Frisco is much larger and many sane people are leaving (along with corporations), but with the other two there is no rush to get there at all. Most people in those two have to be there for work, or was born there.

Point is, there is little / no correlation to expensive places to live and desirability. US News & WR lists Hartford, CT as the city with highest costs, but Hartfords population is in slow decline, for one example.