Cost of Living in Lakewood, WA

An Overview of Cost of Living in Lakewood, WA

Knowing the cost of living in Lakewood allows individuals to create a realistic budget. This helps them understand how their income will cover expenses and whether they need to make financial adjustments. The cost of living in any region can fluctuate due to various factors. To assess the cost of living consistently across different areas, a national average of 100 serves as the basis for the cost of living index. The cost of living in Lakewood stands at 126, marking it 26% higher than the national average.

If affordability is among your top priorities when searching for a new place to live, this area may not be the ideal fit, as the cost of living in Lakewood is among the most expensive in the United States. Just a minority of areas exhibit a cost of living at least 20% higher than the national average, and unfortunately, Lakewood falls into this category, which may not align with your goal of finding a budget-friendly living environment.

Housing costs make up a big chunk of the cost of living in Lakewood, and they usually eat into a large part of your take-home pay. Unfortunately, in this area, both buying a home and renting one costs 52% more than the average city. This includes stuff like home prices, rent, mortgage rates, and insurance.

The things you purchase regularly, like clothes, haircuts, movie tickets and gym memberships, can make a big dent in your budget and make up 33% of the cost of living index. Unfortunately in Lakewood, these items will cost you 17.1% more than what's considered the norm, making it a more expensive place to call home.

The surge in grocery costs is indeed alarming, especially when groceries make up a large portion of your monthly expenditures. Over the past two years, there has been an inflation of over 10% in grocery prices. Unfortunately, Lakewood does not fare better, with grocery expenses coming in at 13.1% higher than the national average.

Is Lakewood Affordable?

Is Lakewood 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 Lakewood, for instance, where the median home price falls 67.6% higher than the national average, and monthly rent rates are 15.4% higher than usual. Additionally, median income levels contribute to the equation, with Lakewood flaunting a median household income of $55,723, 0.7% higher than the national norm.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Lakewood?

Transportation: If public transportation is limited or not available, residents may need to own and maintain vehicles, which can add to the cost of living. Gas, insurance, regular maintenance and potentially lease or finance payments will all need to be paid on a monthly basis. In Lakewood, the transportation index is 24.2% higher than the national average.

Healthcare: Healthcare expenditures and insurance premium rates can vary significantly, contingent upon the particular city or state. Factors such as the accessibility of healthcare facilities, out-of-pocket expenses for doctor's appointments, dental care charges, prescription medication costs, and expenses related to specialized medical care can all have an impact on the overall cost of living. In Lakewood, healthcare costs are 24.6% higher than the national average.

Taxes: Cities that impose higher taxes, including sales and income taxes, can contribute to an escalated cost of living. The added expense of taxes on everyday goods like clothing and food naturally results in higher overall costs. Similarly, a higher income tax rate can further elevate the cost of living. In Lakewood, the general sales tax rate starts at 6.5%, and income tax rates begin at 0%.

Where is the Data From?

The cost of living in Lakewood, presented above is derived from the C2ER cost of living index, offering a practical method for assessing living cost disparities in urban areas. Published quarterly, this index compiles data from more than 300 independent researchers, encompassing over 60 goods and services in 6 categories. The weightings assigned to cost variances are informed by government survey data tracking the expenditure patterns of professional and executive households. It should be noted that the C2ER index does not include data on sales or income tax rates, however, AreaVibes incorporates tax rates into the overall cost of living score for each area.