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.

In 2024, the CPI in U.S. cities averaged at 313.7. However, the CPI for the New York-Newark-Jersey City metropolitan area amounted to about 334.21. Prices in New York City were significantly higher than the U.S. average. Nonetheless, the San Diego-Carlsbad area ranked first with a CPI of 373.32.The monthly inflation rate for the United States can be found here.

The authors constructed a state cost of living index for the 48 continental United States, measured annually for the period 1960 through 2003 (to update an index for 1960-1995 introduced in the authors' May 2000 Journal of Politics article).

Cost of living data based on food, housing, utilities, transportation, healthcare, and consumer discretionary spending in the United States.

As of mid-2025, Port of Spain ranked as the second Latin American and Caribbean city with the highest cost of living. The capital of ******************* obtained an index score of ****, followed by the ********* capital, with **** points.

Graph and download economic data for Cost of Living Index for Massachusetts (M04072US000MAM324NNBR) from Jan 1910 to Dec 1943 about MA, CPI, price index, indexes, price, and USA.

As of September 2025, Mumbai had the highest cost of living among other cities in the country, with an index value of ****. Gurgaon, a satellite city of Delhi and part of the National Capital Region (NCR) followed it with an index value of ****.  What is cost of living? The cost of living varies depending on geographical regions and factors that affect the cost of living in an area include housing, food, utilities, clothing, childcare, and fuel among others. The cost of living is calculated based on different measures such as the consumer price index (CPI), living cost indexes, and wage price index. CPI refers to the change in the value of consumer goods and services. The wage price index, on the other hand, measures the change in labor services prices due to market pressures. Lastly, the living cost indexes calculate the impact of changing costs on different households. The relationship between wages and costs determines affordability and shifts in the cost of living. Mumbai tops the list Mumbai usually tops the list of most expensive cities in India. As the financial and entertainment hub of the country, Mumbai offers wide opportunities and attracts talent from all over the country. It is the second-largest city in India and has one of the most expensive real estates in the world.

Graph and download economic data for Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: Rent of Primary Residence in U.S. City Average (CUUR0000SEHA) from Dec 1914 to Aug 2025 about primary, rent, urban, consumer, CPI, inflation, price index, indexes, price, and USA.

The ACCRA Cost of Living Index (COLI) is a measure of living cost differences among urban areas compiled by the Council for Community and Economic Research. Conducted quarterly, the index compares the price of goods and services among approximately 300 communities in the United States and Canada. This Microsoft Excel file contains the average prices of goods and services published in the ACCRA Cost of Living Index since 1990.

The average for 2021 based on 165 countries was 79.81 index points. The highest value was in Bermuda: 212.7 index points and the lowest value was in Syria: 33.25 index points. The indicator is available from 2017 to 2021. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

United States - Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: Housing in U.S. City Average was 343.51200 Index 1982-84=100 in March of 2025, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: Housing in U.S. City Average reached a record high of 343.51200 in March of 2025 and a record low of 30.50000 in February of 1967. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: Housing in U.S. City Average - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on September of 2025.

United States - Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: All Items in U.S. City Average was 321.50000 Index 1982-1984=100 in June of 2025, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: All Items in U.S. City Average reached a record high of 321.50000 in June of 2025 and a record low of 21.48000 in January of 1947. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: All Items in U.S. City Average - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on August of 2025.

United States - Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: Rent of Primary Residence in U.S. City Average was 437.46200 Index 1982-84=100 in August of 2025, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: Rent of Primary Residence in U.S. City Average reached a record high of 437.46200 in August of 2025 and a record low of 84.70000 in January of 1981. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: Rent of Primary Residence in U.S. City Average - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on September of 2025.

VITAL SIGNS INDICATOR Poverty (EQ5)

FULL MEASURE NAME The share of the population living in households that earn less than 200 percent of the federal poverty limit

LAST UPDATED December 2018

DESCRIPTION Poverty refers to the share of the population living in households that earn less than 200 percent of the federal poverty limit, which varies based on the number of individuals in a given household. It reflects the number of individuals who are economically struggling due to low household income levels.

DATA SOURCE U.S Census Bureau: Decennial Census http://www.nhgis.org (1980-1990) http://factfinder2.census.gov (2000)

U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey Form C17002 (2006-2017) http://api.census.gov

METHODOLOGY NOTES (across all datasets for this indicator) The U.S. Census Bureau defines a national poverty level (or household income) that varies by household size, number of children in a household, and age of householder. The national poverty level does not vary geographically even though cost of living is different across the United States. For the Bay Area, where cost of living is high and incomes are correspondingly high, an appropriate poverty level is 200% of poverty or twice the national poverty level, consistent with what was used for past equity work at MTC and ABAG. For comparison, however, both the national and 200% poverty levels are presented.

For Vital Signs, the poverty rate is defined as the number of people (including children) living below twice the poverty level divided by the number of people for whom poverty status is determined. Poverty rates do not include unrelated individuals below 15 years old or people who live in the following: institutionalized group quarters, college dormitories, military barracks, and situations without conventional housing. The household income definitions for poverty change each year to reflect inflation. The official poverty definition uses money income before taxes and does not include capital gains or noncash benefits (such as public housing, Medicaid, and food stamps). For the national poverty level definitions by year, see: https://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/data/threshld/index.html For an explanation on how the Census Bureau measures poverty, see: https://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/about/overview/measure.html

For the American Community Survey datasets, 1-year data was used for region, county, and metro areas whereas 5-year rolling average data was used for city and census tract.

To be consistent across metropolitan areas, the poverty definition for non-Bay Area metros is twice the national poverty level. Data were not adjusted for varying income and cost of living levels across the metropolitan areas.

United States - Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: Rent of Shelter in U.S. City Average was 422.78400 Index Dec 1982=100 in July of 2024, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: Rent of Shelter in U.S. City Average reached a record high of 422.78400 in July of 2024 and a record low of 106.20000 in January of 1984. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: Rent of Shelter in U.S. City Average - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on September of 2025.

United States - Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: Lodging Away from Home in U.S. City Average was 189.12500 Index Dec 1997=100 in March of 2025, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: Lodging Away from Home in U.S. City Average reached a record high of 202.10600 in June of 2023 and a record low of 100.00000 in December of 1997. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: Lodging Away from Home in U.S. City Average - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on September of 2025.

Graph and download economic data for Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: Food Away from Home in U.S. City Average (CUUR0000SEFV) from Jan 1953 to Aug 2025 about food, urban, consumer, CPI, housing, inflation, price index, indexes, price, and USA.

Household income is a potential predictor for a number of environmental influences, for example, application of urban pesticides. This product is a U.S. conterminous mapping of block group income derived from the 2010-2014 Census American Community Survey (ACS), adjusted by a 2013 county-level Cost-of-Living index obtained from the Council for Community and Economic Research. The resultant raster is provided at 200-m spatial resolution, in units of adjusted household income in thousands of dollars per year.

United States - Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: Services Less Rent of Shelter in U.S. City Average was 432.95500 Index Dec 1982=100 in July of 2025, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: Services Less Rent of Shelter in U.S. City Average reached a record high of 432.95500 in July of 2025 and a record low of 111.30000 in January of 1985. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: Services Less Rent of Shelter in U.S. City Average - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on September of 2025.

United States - Consumer Price Index for All Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers: Housing in U.S. City Average was 339.57900 Index 1982-84=100 in March of 2025, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Consumer Price Index for All Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers: Housing in U.S. City Average reached a record high of 339.57900 in March of 2025 and a record low of 30.70000 in January of 1967. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Consumer Price Index for All Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers: Housing in U.S. City Average - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on September of 2025.