Cost of Living in Amesbury Town, MA

An Overview of Cost of Living in Amesbury Town, MA

The cost of living in Amesbury Town affects the quality of life one can afford in this new location. It allows people to assess whether they can maintain their preferred lifestyle, including housing, leisure activities and dining options. Your total monthly expenditures can varry depending on the area, as well as many other factors. The cost of living in Amesbury Town is 133, which is 33% higher than the national average. Knowledge of the cost of living can help individuals make informed decisions about retirement savings, investments, and financial goals.

If you're in pursuit of an economical living environment, Amesbury Town may not fit the bill, as it ranks among the most expensive places to reside in the United States. Just a minority of regions exhibit a cost of living that is more than 20% higher than the national average, and, unfortunately, Amesbury Town falls within this bracket.

Housing costs are a very significant part of the Amesbury Town cost of living index and generally encompass a large percentage of take-home income. Unfortunately, in this area, the housing costs for both homes and rentals were 70.5% more than the average city. This includes things like home and rent prices, mortgage rates and insurance.

Goods and services make up 33% of the total cost of living index score and are a large part of your everyday expenses. These items could include things like haircuts, salons, toothpaste, shampoo, clothes, movies, bowling, gym memberships or yoga. In Amesbury Town, you can expect to pay 20.2% more than average for these items, making it a more expensive place to live.

Is Amesbury Town Affordable?

Is Amesbury Town an affordable place to live? It's a good question and one that you might want to ask when considering any new city, as affordability can play a huge role in the decision making process. The cost of living index (which we covered above), as well as housing costs and income levels play a vital role in determining the affordability of an area. The median home price in Amesbury Town is 90.3% higher than the national average, while the average monthly rent prices are 24.3% higher than average. The affordability of any location can also be influenced by median income levels. Amesbury Town has a median household income of $81,027, which is 46.5% higher than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Amesbury Town?

Taxes: Regions that impose higher taxes, including sales and income taxes, can contribute to an increased cost of living. Higher taxes for everyday necessities such as clothing, utilities and food inevitably leads to higher expenditures. Additionally, a higher income tax rate can also play a role in elevating the overall cost of living. In Amesbury Town, the prevailing sales tax rate starts at 6.25%, and income tax rates kick off at 5%.

Groceries: Grocery costs have continued to increase significantly over the last 2-3 years. In some markets the cost of food has gone up by more than 20% in that period. While other markets have managed to see only a moderate uptick. These food costs can have a major impact on the cost of living in any area. In Amesbury Town, the groceries index is 2% higher than the national average.

Subsidies: Certain cities or states may implement government subsidies or assistance programs with the goal of alleviating the cost of living pressures on their residents. These programs encompass a broad spectrum of support mechanisms, including Medicare, Medicaid, housing subsidies, low-income home energy assistance programs, school lunch programs, supplemental nutrition assistance programs, student loans, electric vehicle tax credits, affordable care act subsidies and farming subsidies. Areas offering fewer subsidies may experience a rise in their cost of living.

Where is the Data From?

The cost of living data in Amesbury Town displayed above is sourced from the C2ER cost of living index, which serves as a practical tool for comparing living expenses across urban areas. Published on a quarterly basis, this index aggregates data from over 300 independent researchers, encompassing more than 60 goods and services, in 6 different categories. The weightings assigned to cost differences rely on government survey data that tracks the spending habits of professional and executive households. It's worth noting that the C2ER index excludes data on sales or income tax rates, while AreaVibes integrates tax rates into the overall cost of living evaluation for each region.