An Overview of Cost of Living in West Haven, UT
Are you thinking about relocating, but curious about the potential cost of living in West Haven? Is it more expensive or more affordable than average? Based on the most recent report, the cost of living in West Haven stands at 120, making it 20% higher than the national average. The cost of living directly affects the affordability of one's desired lifestyle. Knowing the cost of housing, transportation, groceries and other essentials in the new area allows people to gauge whether they can maintain their preferred standard of living.
If you value affordability in your search for a new place to live, West Haven 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, West Haven falls into this category, which may not align with your desire for an affordable place to call home.
Housing costs are a very significant part of the West Haven cost of living index and generally encompass a large percentage of take-home income. Unfortunately, in this area, the housing costs for both homes and rentals were 70.3% more than the average city. This includes things like home and rent prices, mortgage rates and insurance.
Is West Haven Affordable?
Is West Haven 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 West Haven, the median home price is 91% higher than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 21.9% higher than the usual rates. Income levels in West Haven come in at $80,762, which is 46% higher than the national average.
What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in West Haven?
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 West Haven, the transportation index is 0.4% higher than the national average.
Taxes: Locations with elevated tax rates, encompassing both sales and income taxes, can be a factor in driving up the cost of living. When you're paying more in taxes for everyday goods and services, it naturally translates into higher expenses. Similarly, a higher income tax rate can also contribute to an overall higher cost of living. In West Haven, the standard sales tax rate starts at 6.1%, and the income tax rates commence at 4.85%.
Housing: High demand for housing in desirable locations can drive up property prices and rental rates. This can be a primary contributor to a higher cost of living. While low demand for housing, especially in undesirable locations, can have the reverse effect and drive prices down, resulting in a lower cost of living. The housing index in West Haven, is 70.3% higher than the national average.
Where is the Data From?
The West Haven 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.