West Virginia and Kansas had the lowest cost of living across all U.S. states, with composite costs being half of those found in Hawaii. This was according to a composite index that compares prices for various goods and services on a state-by-state basis. In West Virginia, the cost of living index amounted to **** — well below the national benchmark of 100. Virginia— which had an index value of ***** — was only slightly above that benchmark. Expensive places to live included Hawaii, Massachusetts, and California. Housing costs in the U.S. Housing is usually the highest expense in a household’s budget. In 2023, the average house sold for approximately ******* U.S. dollars, but house prices in the Northeast and West regions were significantly higher. Conversely, the South had some of the least expensive housing. In West Virginia, Mississippi, and Louisiana, the median price of the typical single-family home was less than ******* U.S. dollars. That makes living expenses in these states significantly lower than in states such as Hawaii and California, where housing is much pricier. What other expenses affect the cost of living? Utility costs such as electricity, natural gas, water, and internet also influence the cost of living. In Alaska, Hawaii, and Connecticut, the average monthly utility cost exceeded *** U.S. dollars. That was because of the significantly higher prices for electricity and natural gas in these states.

This dataset is OBSOLETE as of 12/3/2024 and will be removed from ArcGIS Online on 12/3/2025.An updated version of this dataset is available at Land Use FY2024.This data set derives from several sources, and is updated annually with data current through July 1 of the reported year. The primary source is a data dump from the VISION assessing data system, which provided data up to date as of January 1, 2012, and is supplemented by information from subsequent building permits and Development Logs. (Use codes provided by this system combine aspects of land use, tax status, and condominium status. In an effort to clarify land use type the data has been cleaned and subdivided to break the original use code into several different fields.) The data set has further been supplemented and updated with development information provided by building permits issued by the Inspectional Services Department and from data found in the Development Log publication. Information from these sources is added to the data set periodically. Land use status is up to date as of the Last Modified date.Differences From “Official” Parcel LayerThe Cambridge GIS system maintains a separate layer of land parcels reflecting up to date subdivision and ownership. The parcel data associated with the Land Use Data set differs from the “official” parcel layer in a number of cases. For that reason this separate parcel layer is provided to work with land use data in a GIS environment. See the Assessing Department’s Parcel layer for the most up-to-date land parcel boundaries.Table of Land Use CodesThe following table lists all land use code found in the data layer:Land Use CodeLand Use DescriptionCategory0101MXD SNGL-FAM-REMixed Use Residential0104MXD TWO-FAM-RESMixed Use Residential0105MXD THREE-FM-REMixed Use Residential0111MXD 4-8-UNIT-APMixed Use Residential0112MXD >8-UNIT-APTMixed Use Residential0121MXD BOARDING-HSMixed Use Residential013MULTIUSE-RESMixed Use Residential031MULTIUSE-COMMixed Use Commercial0340MXD GEN-OFFICEMixed Use Commercial041MULTIUSE-INDMixed Use Industrial0942Higher Ed and Comm MixedMixed Use Education101SNGL-FAM-RESResidential1014SINGLE FAM W/AUResidential104TWO-FAM-RESResidential105THREE-FM-RESResidential106RES-LAND-IMPTransportation1067RES-COV-PKGTransportation1114-8-UNIT-APTResidential112>8-UNIT-APTResidential113ASSISTED-LIVAssisted Living/Boarding House121BOARDING-HSEAssisted Living/Boarding House130RES-DEV-LANDVacant Residential131RES-PDV-LANDVacant Residential132RES-UDV-LANDVacant Residential1322RES-UDV-PARK (OS) LNVacant Residential140CHILD-CARECommercial300HOTELCommercial302INN-RESORTCommercial304NURSING-HOMEHealth316WAREHOUSECommercial323SH-CNTR/MALLCommercial324SUPERMARKETCommercial325RETAIL-STORECommercial326EATING-ESTBLCommercial327RETAIL-CONDOCommercial330AUTO-SALESCommercial331AUTO-SUPPLYCommercial332AUTO-REPAIRCommercial334GAS-STATIONCommercialLand Use CodeLand Use DescriptionCategory335CAR-WASHCommercial336PARKING-GARTransportation337PARKING-LOTTransportation340GEN-OFFICEOffice341BANKCommercial342MEDICAL-OFFCHealth343OFFICE-CONDOOffice345RETAIL-OFFICOffice346INV-OFFICEOffice353FRAT-ORGANIZCommercial362THEATRECommercial370BOWLING-ALLYCommercial375TENNIS-CLUBCommercial390COM-DEV-LANDVacant Commercial391COM-PDV-LANDVacant Commercial392COM-UDV-LANDVacant Commercial3922CRMCL REC LNDVacant Commercial400MANUFACTURNGIndustrial401WAREHOUSEIndustrial404RES-&-DEV-FCOffice/R&D406HIGH-TECHOffice/R&D407CLEAN-MANUFIndustrial409INDUST-CONDOIndustrial413RESRCH IND CNDIndustrial422ELEC GEN PLANTUtility424PUB UTIL REGUtility428GAS-CONTROLUtility430TELE-EXCH-STAUtility440IND-DEV-LANDVacant Industrial442IND-UDV-LANDVacant Industrial920ParklandsPublic Open Space930Government OperationsGovernment Operations934Public SchoolsEducation940Private Pre & Elem SchoolEducation941Private Secondary SchoolEducation942Private CollegeHigher Education9421Private College Res UnitsEducation Residential943Other Educ & Research OrgHigher EducationLand Use CodeLand Use DescriptionCategory953CemeteriesCemetery955Hospitals & Medical OfficHealth956MuseumsHigher Education957Charitable ServicesCharitable/Religious960ReligiousCharitable/Religious971Water UtilityUtility972Road Right of WayTransportation975MBTA/RailroadTransportation9751MBTA/RailroadTransportation995Private Open SpacePrivately-Owned Open SpaceExplore all our data on the Cambridge GIS Data Dictionary.Attributes NameType DetailsDescription ML type: Stringwidth: 16precision: 0 Map-Lot: This a unique parcel identifier found in the deed and used by the Assessing data system. In a few cases, where parcels have been subdivided subsequent to January 1, 2012, a placeholder Map-Lot number is assigned that differs from that used elsewhere.

MAP type: Stringwidth: 5precision: 0 This Map portion of the unique parcel identifier found in the deed and used by the Assessing data system. In a few cases, where parcels have been subdivided subsequent to January 1, 2012, a placeholder Map-Lot number is assigned that differs from that used elsewhere.

LOT type: Stringwidth: 5precision: 0 This is the Lot portion of the unique parcel identifier found in the deed and used by the Assessing data system. In a few cases, where parcels have been subdivided subsequent to January 1, 2012, a placeholder Map-Lot number is assigned that differs from that used elsewhere.

Location type: Stringwidth: 254precision: 0 In the great majority of cases this is the street address of the parcel as it is recorded in the Registry of Deed record. In instances where edits were made to the base parcel layer the best address available at the time is employed.

LandArea type: Doublewidth: 8precision: 15

LUCode type: Stringwidth: 254precision: 0 The four digit text string in this field indicates the primary usage of a parcel. While the codes are based on the standard Massachusetts assessing land use classification system, they differ in a number of cases; the coding system used here is unique to this data set. Note that other minor uses may occur on a property and, in some cases, tenants may introduce additional uses not reflected here (eg, office space used as a medical office, home based businesses).

LUDesc type: Stringwidth: 254precision: 0 The short description gives more detail about the specific use indicated by the Land Use Code. Most descriptions are taken from the standard Massachusetts assessing land use classification system.

Category type: Stringwidth: 254precision: 0 This broader grouping of land uses can be used to map land use data. You can find the land use data mapped at: https://www.cambridgema.gov/CDD/factsandmaps/mapgalleries/othermaps

ExistUnits type: Doublewidth: 8precision: 15 This value indicates the number of existing residential units as of July 1 of the reported year. A residential unit may be a house, an apartment, a mobile home, a group of rooms or a single room that is occupied (or, if vacant, intended for occupancy) as separate living quarters. This includes units found in apartment style graduate student housing residences and rooms in assisted living facilities and boarding houses are treated as also housing units. The unit count does not include college or graduate student dormitories, nursing home rooms, group homes, or other group quarters living arrangements.

MixedUseTy type: Stringwidth: 254precision: 0 Two flags are used for this field. “Groundfloor” indicates that a commercial use is found on the ground floor of the primary building, and upper floors are used for residential purposes. “Mixed” indicates that two or more uses are found throughout the structure or multiple structures on the parcel, one of which is residential.

GQLodgingH type: Stringwidth: 254precision: 0 A value of “Yes” indicates that the primary use of the property is as a group quarters living arrangement. Group quarters are a place where people live or stay, in a group living arrangement, that is owned or managed by an entity or organization providing housing and/or services for the residents. Group quarters include such places as college residence halls, residential treatment centers, skilled nursing facilities, group homes, military barracks, correctional facilities, and workers’ dormitories.

Most university dormitories are included under the broader higher education land use code, as most dormitories are included in the larger parcels comprising the bulk of higher education campuses.

GradStuden type: Stringwidth: 254precision: 0 A value of “Yes” indicates the parcel is used to house graduate students in apartment style units. Graduate student dormitories are treated as a higher education land use.

CondoFlag type: Stringwidth: 254precision: 0 “Yes” indicates that the parcel is owned as a condominium. Condo properties can include one or more uses, including residential, commercial, and parking. The great majority of such properties in Cambridge are residential only.

TaxStatus type: Stringwidth: 254precision: 0 A value indicates that the parcel is not subject to local property taxes. The following general rules are employed to assign properties to subcategories, though special situations exist in a number of cases.

o Authority: Properties owned the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority and Cambridge Housing Authority. o City: Properties owned by the City of Cambridge or cemetery land owned by the Town of Belmont. o Educ: Includes properties used for education purposes, ranging from pre-schools to university research facilities. (More detail about the level of education can be found using the Land Use Code.) o Federal: Properties owned by the federal government, including the Post Office. Certain properties with assessing data indicating Cambridge Redevelopment Authority ownership are in fact owned by the federal government as part of the Volpe Transportation Research Center and are so treated here. o Other: Nontaxable properties owned by a nonprofit organization and not

Cost comparison table showing 2023 and 2024 median costs by location

The United States MSA Boundaries data set contains the boundaries for metropolitan statistical areas in the United States. The data set contains information on location, identification, and size. The database includes metropolitan boundaries within all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. The general concept of a metropolitan area (MA) is one of a large population nucleus, together with adjacent communities that have a high degree of economic and social integration with that nucleus. Some MAs are defined around two or more nuclei. Each MA must contain either a place with a minimum population of 50,000 or a U.S. Census Bureau-defined urbanized area and a total MA population of at least 100,000 (75,000 in New England). An MA contains one or more central counties. An MA also may include one or more outlying counties that have close economic and social relationships with the central county. An outlying county must have a specified level of commuting to the central counties and also must meet certain standards regarding metropolitan character, such as population density, urban population, and population growth. In New England, MAs consist of groupings of cities and towns rather than whole counties. The territory, population, and housing units in MAs are referred to as "metropolitan." The metropolitan category is subdivided into "inside central city" and "outside central city." The territory, population, and housing units located outside territory designated "metropolitan" are referred to as "non-metropolitan." The metropolitan and non-metropolitan classification cuts across the other hierarchies; for example, generally there are both urban and rural territory within both metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas.

Cost comparison table showing 2023 and 2024 median costs by location

Cost comparison table showing 2023 and 2024 median costs by location

Cost comparison table showing 2023 and 2024 median costs by location

Cost comparison table showing community type costs by location