F
47%
Overall NAT. AVG.
27%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
114%
Housing NAT. AVG.
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Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.
The cost of living index is based on a national average of 100. For example, if the cost of living is 90, then it is 10% lower than average. If the cost of living is 110, then it is 10% higher than average. The breakdown for each index is as follows: goods & services (33%), groceries (13%), health care (5%), housing (30%), transportation (9%) and utilities (10%). If the cost of living data was unavailable for this city, estimates based upon nearby cities were used.
Index Uniondale New York National
Cost of living147117100
Goods & Services127108100
Groceries113102100
Health care121103100
Housing214145100
Transportation115105100
Utilities102100100

An Overview of Cost of Living in Uniondale, NY

Understanding the cost of living in Uniondale can help future residents assess whether their current financial situation aligns with the expenses they will encounter. It enables them to plan for potential changes in their budget and lifestyle. The Uniondale cost of living index is 147, which is 47% higher than the national average. The cost of living index is calculated by taking into account multiple categories, which encompass both the cost of everyday expenditures and larger expenses as well.

If you value affordability in your search for a new place to live, Uniondale may not be the most suitable option, as it stands out as one of the priciest areas in the entire United States. Only a small fraction of regions have a cost of living that is more than 20% higher than the national average, and regrettably, Uniondale falls into this category, which may not align with your desire for an affordable place to call home.

Housing costs significantly influence the Uniondale cost of living index, typically accounting for a substantial portion of one's post-tax income. Regrettably, within this particular region, expenses related to both residential ownership and renting exceeded those observed in an average city by 113.5%. This entails elements such as housing and rental prices, mortgage interest rates and insurance costs.

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 Uniondale, you can expect to pay 26.8% more than average for these items, making it a more expensive place to live.

Groceries are getting more expensive by the day and the cost of groceries makes up 13% of the overall cost of living index. In the past two years, prices have shot up by over 10%! Unfortunately, in Uniondale, it's the same story – grocery costs are 13.4% higher than what people pay across the country.

Is Uniondale Affordable?

Is Uniondale 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 Uniondale, the median home price is 109.1% higher than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 123.8% higher than the usual rates. Income levels in Uniondale come in at $89,192, which is 61.2% higher than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Uniondale?

Utilities: Similar to the prices of any goods or services, utility expenses can fluctuate widely, contingent on variables such as climate, available energy sources, geographical location and state regulations. Costs associated with electricity, water, heating, and waste disposal can differ in magnitude, depending on the specific city or state. In Uniondale, the utilities index registers at 1.7% higher than the national average.

Housing: Elevated demand for housing within coveted locales has the propensity to escalate both property values and rental rates, thereby serving as a primary catalyst for an augmented cost of living. Conversely, areas witnessing diminished housing demand, particularly within less desirable environs, often experience an inversely proportional effect, leading to price reductions and subsequently contributing to a more modest cost of living. In Uniondale, the housing index is 113.5% higher than the national average.

Urbanization: Larger, urban centers, known for their wealth of amenities and strong employment prospects, often exhibit an elevated cost of living, primarily attributable to the heightened demand for services and residential relocation. Consequently, this scenario leads to elevated home prices and higher rental rates. In contrast, sparsely populated rural areas or regions characterized by diminished demand typically provide a more limited array of amenities and experience slower job market growth, resulting in a more affordable cost of living.

Where is the Data From?

The Uniondale 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.

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Cost Of Living Quick Facts

  • The cost of living in Uniondale is 26% higher than the New York average
  • The cost of living in Uniondale is 47% higher than the national average
  • Uniondale housing is 114% higher than the national average
  • New York general sales tax is 22% lower than the national average
  • New York state income tax is 54% higher than the national average

Most Affordable Places to Live in and Around Uniondale

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Compare Uniondale, NY Cost of Living

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      Salary Calculator

      This is how much you would need to earn in
      Price difference in compared to
      Cost of living index
      Goods & Services index
      Groceries index
      Health care index
      Housing index
      Transportation index
      Utilities index

      Median Income & Debt-To-Income Ratio

      Median Income Per Year Per Month Max Budget (28% DTI) Max Budget (36% DTI)
      Owners$105,306$8,776$2,457$3,159
      Renters$45,663$3,805$1,065$1,370
      The affordability of the housing market in Uniondale, NY as well as the overall cost of living can be predicted by what percent of the monthly income is spent on housing related costs. This is konwn as the debt-to-income ratio (DTI). The overall rule of thumb is that no more than 28% of your gross income should be spent on the overall costs related to housing and no more than 36% of gross income on all expenses and debts. Among Uniondale homeowners, the median income is $105,306. This indicates that a monthly maximum of $2,457 should be spent by homeowners on all housing related costs. Renters have a median income of $45,663. This indicates that renters would have a maximum of $1,065 for their rent related monthly costs.

      New York Sales Tax

      State General Sales Tax With Max Surtax
      New York 4% 8.875%

      New York Income Tax

      State Income Tax (Low) Income Tax (High)
      New York 4% 10.9%

      Goods & Services

      Item Uniondale National avg. Difference
      Haircut $34.94$24.2644.0%
      Beauty Salon $64.07$45.5640.6%
      Toothpaste $3.96$3.707.0%
      Shampoo $1.69$1.2832.3%
      Movie $13.68$12.1312.8%
      Bowling $29.40$18.0063.3%

      Groceries

      Item Uniondale National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $5.87$5.840.6%
      Fried Chicken $1.46$1.576.9%
      Milk $4.97$4.676.3%
      Potatoes $5.21$4.935.7%
      Pizza $12.57$12.094.0%
      Beer $11.87$10.4114.0%

      Health Care

      Item Uniondale National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $128.97$125.682.6%
      Doctor $162.24$135.7819.5%
      Dentist $149.64$113.2932.1%
      Ibuprofen $11.15$10.654.6%
      Lipitor $402.75$468.6014.1%

      Housing

      Item Uniondale National avg. Difference
      Home Price $386,200.00$184,700.00109.1%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $6,916.73$2,346.69194.7%
      Apartment Rent $2,124.00$949.00123.8%

      Transportation

      Item Uniondale National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $3.55$3.462.5%
      Tire Balancing $86.43$59.9244.2%

      Utilities

      Item Uniondale National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $201.27$193.993.8%
      Phone $200.67$192.254.4%
      Although the cost of living data is updated regularly, this cost of living information is to be used as estimates only as prices can change on an ongoing basis.

      Nearby cities with low cost of living

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Wyandanch, NY11,63212726.6%
      Hempstead, NY55,15313635.8%
      Copiague, NY23,20013332.8%
      Mount Vernon, NY67,62313737.4%
      North Amityville, NY18,89013333.3%
      Uniondale, NY32,62114747.2%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      St. Charles, IL32,61211918.6%
      Helena, MT32,6551043.8%
      Orangeville, ON32,668n/a 
      Matthews, NC32,68211514.6%
      Manitowoc, WI32,5588713.3%
      Uniondale, NY32,62114747.2%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.