An Overview of Cost of Living in Redlands, CA
The cost of living in Redlands 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 Redlands is 140, which is 40% higher than the national average. Knowledge of the cost of living can help individuals make informed decisions about retirement savings, investments, and financial goals.
The cost of living in Redlands is among the highest in the country, making it a very expensive place to live. Only a small fraction of regions boast a cost of living that is at least 20% higher than the national average, and regrettably, Redlands falls into this category, which may not be suitable for those seeking an economically favorable living environment.
When it comes to the cost of living in Redlands, housing costs are a real heavyweight, often hogging a significant chunk of your earnings. Sadly, in this area, housing expenses for both buying and renting were 107.3% more expensive compared to your average city. That means you'll be shelling out more for homes, rents, 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 Redlands, you can expect to pay 12% more than average for these items, making it a more expensive place to live.
The cost of groceries continues to rise at an alarming rate. Over the last two years, grocery prices have increased by more than 10%! Unfortunately, in Redlands, the news isn't any better as grocery prices are 13.1% higher than the national average.
What Do Locals Say About the Cost of Living in Redlands?
Nobody knows their city better than the people who actually live there. So, we asked 17 local residents how they would rate the cost of living in Redlands and this is how they responded. 41% of people said that the cost of living was affordable, with prices decreasing, while 59% of people said that the cost of living was very expensive and prices continue to rise.
Is Redlands Affordable?
Is Redlands an affordable place to live? That's a valid question to ask when you're thinking about moving to a new city. After all, how much it costs to live somewhere can be a huge factor in your decision. Affordability can be broken down into 3 common categories. The cost of living index (we talked about it earlier), housing expenses and income levels all play a big role in figuring out if a place is affordable. For instance, in Redlands, the median home price is 130% higher than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 54.3% higher than the usual rates. Income levels in Redlands come in at $81,265, which is 46.9% higher than the national average.
What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Redlands?
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 Redlands, the prevailing sales tax rate starts at 7.25%, and income tax rates kick off at 1%.
Urbanization: Larger, urban areas boasting abundant amenities and robust employment prospects often exhibit a heightened cost of living, driven by the increased demand for services and residential relocation. Consequently, this leads to elevated home prices and higher rental rates. In contrast, sparsely populated rural locales or regions marked by diminished demand typically offer a more limited range of amenities and experience slower job market expansion. This translates into a more affordable cost of living.
Healthcare: Healthcare costs and insurance premiums can undergo substantial fluctuations based on the city or state of residence. Elements such as the availability of healthcare facilities, out-of-pocket costs for medical consultations, dental expenses, prescription medication charges and specialized medical care fees all contribute to variations in the cost of living. In Redlands, healthcare costs are 1.2% lower than the national average.
Where is the Data From?
The Redlands 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. The index takes into account data from 300 independent researches, covering more than 60 goods and services across 6 different categories, to create an overall index for each area, with 100 being the average. The C2ER index does not include sales or income tax rates in their data, however AreaVibes does include both income and sales tax rates in the overall cost of living score for each area.