An Overview of Cost of Living in Dickinson, TX
The cost of living in Dickinson 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 Dickinson is 98, which is 2% lower than the national average. Knowledge of the cost of living can help individuals make informed decisions about retirement savings, investments, and financial goals.
In Dickinson, daily expenses such as food, housing, goods and services, transportation and health care are in line with comparable areas and about average when compared to all cities across the nation. This ensures that the cost of living in Dickinson will resemble that of an average city, contributing to a manageable cost of living.
Is Dickinson Affordable?
Is Dickinson affordable? It's a key consideration when pondering a move, as affordability often shapes your choices. The cost of living index (we discussed it earlier), coupled with housing costs and income levels, serves as the cornerstone for determining a location's affordability. Take Dickinson, for instance, where the median home price falls 8.1% lower than the national average, and monthly rent rates are 10.5% higher than usual. Additionally, median income levels contribute to the equation, with Dickinson flaunting a median household income of $70,468, 27.4% higher than the national norm.
What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Dickinson?
Housing: When everyone's vying for homes in popular areas, it drives up property prices and rents, making the overall cost of living surge. On the flip side, in less sought-after locales, where housing demand is low, prices tend to dip, resulting in a more economical cost of living. In Dickinson, the housing index comes in at 2.5% lower than the national average.
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 Dickinson, the prevailing sales tax rate starts at 6.25%, and income tax rates kick off at 0%.
Transportation: In areas where public transportation is scarce or unavailable, residents often find themselves compelled to own and upkeep vehicles, thereby increasing the overall cost of living. Monthly expenses encompass fuel, insurance, routine maintenance and potentially lease or financing payments. In Dickinson, the transportation index is 9.6% lower than the national average.
Where is the Data From?
The Dickinson cost of living data displayed above is derived from the C2ER cost of living index to provide a useful and reasonably accurate measure of living cost differences in urban areas. Published on a quarterly basis, it compiles data from more than 300 independent researchers, encompassing over 60 goods and services. These items have been meticulously selected to represent various consumer expenditure categories, in 6 categories. Weightings assigned to cost differentials draw from government survey data tracking spending patterns among professional and executive households. While the C2ER index excludes data on sales or income tax rates, AreaVibes incorporates tax rates into the overall cost of living score for each region.