An Overview of Cost of Living in Pickerington, OH
The cost of living in Pickerington 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 Pickerington is 105, which is 5% higher than the national average. Knowledge of the cost of living can help individuals make informed decisions about retirement savings, investments, and financial goals.
In Pickerington, 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 Pickerington will resemble that of an average city, contributing to a manageable cost of living.
Housing costs make up a big chunk of the cost of living in Pickerington, 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 27.7% more than the average city. This includes stuff like home prices, rent, mortgage rates, and insurance.
Is Pickerington Affordable?
Is Pickerington 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 Pickerington is 23.8% higher than the national average, while the average monthly rent prices are 36.8% higher than average. The affordability of any location can also be influenced by median income levels. Pickerington has a median household income of $101,577, which is 83.6% higher than the national average.
What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Pickerington?
Groceries: Grocery prices have seen substantial hikes in the last 2-3 years, with some markets witnessing food cost increases of over 20% during this period. Conversely, certain markets have experienced only moderate upticks. These variations in food expenses can have a substantial impact on the overall cost of living in any locality. In Pickerington, the groceries index is 3.5% higher than the national average.
Housing: A sought-after location with high housing demand often leads to increased property values and rental rates, which can significantly inflate the overall cost of living. Conversely, areas with low housing demand, particularly in less desirable locales, tend to experience the opposite effect, causing prices to drop and contributing to a more affordable cost of living. In Pickerington, the housing index stands at 27.7% higher than the national average.
Urbanization: Urban areas with a wealth of amenities and employment opportunities tend to come with a higher price tag for living. Why? Well, more people want to be there, which drives up home prices and rents. On the flip side, less densely populated rural areas or places where there's not as much demand usually mean fewer attractions, things to do and slower job growth. That often results in a lower cost of living.
Where is the Data From?
The Pickerington cost of living data you see above is sourced from the C2ER cost of living index, providing a practical and accurate means of comparing living expenses in urban areas. Updated quarterly, this index gathers data from over 300 independent researchers, covering more than 60 goods and services, in 6 different categories. These selections are made meticulously to represent a wide range of consumer expenditure categories. The weightings applied to cost differences are based on government survey data that tracks spending patterns among professional and executive households. It's important to note that while the C2ER index excludes data on sales or income tax rates, AreaVibes factors tax rates into the overall cost of living score for each region.