An Overview of Cost of Living in Andover, KS
Are you thinking about relocating, but curious about the potential cost of living in Andover? Is it more expensive or more affordable than average? Based on the most recent report, the cost of living in Andover stands at 107, making it 7% 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.
In Andover, daily expenses such as food, housing, goods and services, transportation and health care are in line with comparable areas and about average when compared to all cities across the nation. This ensures that the cost of living in Andover will resemble that of an average city, contributing to a manageable cost of living.
Housing costs are a major factor in the Andover cost of living index, and they often eat up a big chunk of your take-home pay. Unfortunately, in this area, housing expenses for both homeownership and rentals were 26.3% higher than what's typical in an average city. That includes the prices of homes and rents, as well as mortgage rates and insurance.
Is Andover Affordable?
Is Andover 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 Andover, the median home price is 14.9% higher than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 52.9% higher than the usual rates. Income levels in Andover come in at $98,320, which is 77.7% higher than the national average.
What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Andover?
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 Andover, the housing index is 26.3% higher than the national average.
Groceries: The costs associated with groceries have witnessed substantial increases over the past 2-3 years. In select markets, food prices have escalated by more than 20% during this timeframe, whereas others have seen more restrained upticks. The variances in food expenses can exert a considerable influence on the overall cost of living in a given locale. In Andover, the groceries index is 2.4% lower than the national average.
Urbanization: Urban areas with extensive amenities and job opportunities tend to have a higher cost of living due to increased demand for services and relocation, resulting in higher home prices and higher rents. Less densely populated rural areas, or areas with less demand tend to have fewer amenities and slower job growth, which results in a lower cost of living.
Where is the Data From?
The cost of living data in Andover displayed above is sourced from the C2ER cost of living index, which serves as a practical tool for comparing living expenses across urban areas. Published on a quarterly basis, this index aggregates data from over 300 independent researchers, encompassing more than 60 goods and services, in 6 different categories. The weightings assigned to cost differences rely on government survey data that tracks the spending habits of professional and executive households. It's worth noting that the C2ER index excludes data on sales or income tax rates, while AreaVibes integrates tax rates into the overall cost of living evaluation for each region.