Cost of Living in Altadena, CA

An Overview of Cost of Living in Altadena, CA

Understanding the cost of living in Altadena 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 Altadena cost of living index is 189, which is 89% 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, Altadena 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, Altadena falls into this category, which may not align with your desire for an affordable place to call home.

When it comes to the cost of living in Altadena, 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 260.4% more expensive compared to your average city. That means you'll be shelling out more for homes, rents, mortgage rates and insurance.

The things you purchase regularly, like clothes, haircuts, movie tickets and gym memberships, can make a big dent in your budget and make up 33% of the cost of living index. Unfortunately in Altadena, these items will cost you 16.2% more than what's considered the norm, making it a more expensive place to call home.

The surge in grocery costs is indeed alarming, especially when groceries make up a large portion of your monthly expenditures. Over the past two years, there has been an inflation of over 10% in grocery prices. Unfortunately, Altadena does not fare better, with grocery expenses coming in at 12.2% higher than the national average.

Is Altadena Affordable?

Is Altadena 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 Altadena, the median home price is 334.5% higher than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 87.7% higher than the usual rates. Income levels in Altadena come in at $100,806, which is 82.2% higher than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Altadena?

Urbanization: Urban areas with a wealth of amenities and employment opportunities tend to come with a higher price tag for living. Why? Well, more people want to be there, which drives up home prices and rents. On the flip side, less densely populated rural areas or places where there's not as much demand usually mean fewer attractions, things to do and slower job growth. That often results in a lower cost of living.

Utilities: As with the prices of anything else, utility costs can exhibit significant variations, contingent on factors like climate, energy source availability, geographic location and state regulations. The expenses associated with electricity, water, heating, and waste disposal can fluctuate, either upward or downward, depending on the particular city or state. In Altadena, the utilities index registers 12.4% higher than the national average.

Transportation: When public transportation options are limited or non-existent, residents frequently resort to vehicle ownership, which can significantly contribute to the overall cost of living. Monthly financial obligations encompass fuel, insurance, regular maintenance and potentially lease or financing expenses. In Altadena, the transportation index is 24.3% higher than the national average.

Where is the Data From?

The Altadena 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.