A+
15%
Overall NAT. AVG.
3%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
52%
Housing NAT. AVG.
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Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.
The cost of living index is based on a national average of 100. For example, if the cost of living is 90, then it is 10% lower than average. If the cost of living is 110, then it is 10% higher than average. The breakdown for each index is as follows: goods & services (33%), groceries (13%), health care (5%), housing (30%), transportation (9%) and utilities (10%). If the cost of living data was unavailable for this city, estimates based upon nearby cities were used.
Index Ashtabula Ohio National
Cost of living8592100
Goods & Services97100100
Groceries97101100
Health care8998100
Housing4873100
Transportation114100100
Utilities10999100

An Overview of Cost of Living in Ashtabula, OH

Knowing the cost of living in Ashtabula allows individuals to create a realistic budget. This helps them understand how their income will cover expenses and whether they need to make financial adjustments. The cost of living in any region can fluctuate due to various factors. To assess the cost of living consistently across different areas, a national average of 100 serves as the basis for the cost of living index. The cost of living in Ashtabula stands at 85, marking it 15% lower than the national average.

Housing expenses often consume a significant portion of your net income, occasionally surpassing 30%. Fortunately, housing costs in Ashtabula are 51.6% below the national average. This highlights the region's exceptional affordability for both homeownership and rentals in comparison to the rest of the country. This favorable housing situation allows residents to allocate a more reasonable fraction of their income to housing, resulting in enhanced financial flexibility and improved overall financial well-being.

Is Ashtabula Affordable?

Is Ashtabula an affordable place to live? It's a good question and one that you might want to ask when considering any new city, as affordability can play a huge role in the decision making process. The cost of living index (which we covered above), as well as housing costs and income levels play a vital role in determining the affordability of an area. The median home price in Ashtabula is 61.3% lower than the national average, while the average monthly rent prices are 29.1% lower than average. The affordability of any location can also be influenced by median income levels. Ashtabula has a median household income of $33,918, which is 38.7% lower than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Ashtabula?

Transportation: In areas where public transportation is scarce or unavailable, residents often find themselves compelled to own and upkeep vehicles, thereby increasing the overall cost of living. Monthly expenses encompass fuel, insurance, routine maintenance and potentially lease or financing payments. In Ashtabula, the transportation index is 14% higher than the national average.

Housing: When there's a high demand for housing in trendy places, it can cause property prices and rental rates to soar, leading to a significantly higher cost of living. Conversely, in less desirable locations, where demand is low, prices tend to decrease, resulting in a more budget-friendly cost of living. In Ashtabula, the housing index is 51.6% lower than the national average.

Healthcare: Healthcare costs and insurance premiums can fluctuate greatly based on the city or state. Access to healthcare facilities, out-of-pocket expenses for doctor\’s visits, dentist costs, medication costs and specialized care costs can all impact the cost of living. In Ashtabula, the healthcare costs are 11.4% lower than the national average.

Where is the Data From?

The Ashtabula 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. Published on a quarterly basis, it compiles data from more than 300 independent researchers, encompassing over 60 goods and services. These items have been meticulously selected to represent various consumer expenditure categories, in 6 categories. Weightings assigned to cost differentials draw from government survey data tracking spending patterns among professional and executive households. While the C2ER index excludes data on sales or income tax rates, AreaVibes incorporates tax rates into the overall cost of living score for each region.

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Cost Of Living Quick Facts

  • The cost of living in Ashtabula is 8% lower than the Ohio average
  • The cost of living in Ashtabula is 15% lower than the national average
  • Ashtabula housing is 52% lower than the national average
  • Ohio general sales tax is 13% higher than the national average
  • Ohio state income tax is 6% higher than the national average

Most Affordable Places to Live in and Around Ashtabula

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Compare Ashtabula, OH Cost of Living

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      Salary Calculator

      This is how much you would need to earn in
      Price difference in compared to
      Cost of living index
      Goods & Services index
      Groceries index
      Health care index
      Housing index
      Transportation index
      Utilities index

      Median Income & Debt-To-Income Ratio

      Median Income Per Year Per Month Max Budget (28% DTI) Max Budget (36% DTI)
      Owners$49,566$4,131$1,156$1,487
      Renters$19,248$1,604$449$577
      The affordability of the housing market in Ashtabula, OH as well as the overall cost of living can be predicted by what percent of the monthly income is spent on housing related costs. This is konwn as the debt-to-income ratio (DTI). The overall rule of thumb is that no more than 28% of your gross income should be spent on the overall costs related to housing and no more than 36% of gross income on all expenses and debts. Among Ashtabula homeowners, the median income is $49,566. This indicates that a monthly maximum of $1,156 should be spent by homeowners on all housing related costs. Renters have a median income of $19,248. This indicates that renters would have a maximum of $449 for their rent related monthly costs.

      Ohio Sales Tax

      State General Sales Tax With Max Surtax
      Ohio 5.75% 8%

      Ohio Income Tax

      State Income Tax (Low) Income Tax (High)
      Ohio 2.76% 3.99%

      Goods & Services

      Item Ashtabula National avg. Difference
      Haircut $20.02$24.2617.5%
      Beauty Salon $45.08$45.561.1%
      Toothpaste $3.63$3.701.9%
      Shampoo $1.42$1.2810.7%
      Movie $10.18$12.1316.1%
      Bowling $12.76$18.0029.1%

      Groceries

      Item Ashtabula National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $5.35$5.848.4%
      Fried Chicken $1.33$1.5715.2%
      Milk $4.52$4.673.2%
      Potatoes $5.46$4.9310.7%
      Pizza $9.45$12.0921.9%
      Beer $8.99$10.4113.7%

      Health Care

      Item Ashtabula National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $99.22$125.6821.1%
      Doctor $124.54$135.788.3%
      Dentist $103.83$113.298.3%
      Ibuprofen $10.32$10.653.1%
      Lipitor $368.67$468.6021.3%

      Housing

      Item Ashtabula National avg. Difference
      Home Price $71,500.00$184,700.0061.3%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $1,318.94$2,346.6943.8%
      Apartment Rent $673.00$949.0029.1%

      Transportation

      Item Ashtabula National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $3.68$3.466.4%
      Tire Balancing $79.53$59.9232.7%

      Utilities

      Item Ashtabula National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $218.99$193.9912.9%
      Phone $196.00$192.252.0%
      Although the cost of living data is updated regularly, this cost of living information is to be used as estimates only as prices can change on an ongoing basis.

      Nearby cities with low cost of living

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Geneva-on-the-Lake, OH9788316.6%
      Edgewood, OH4,3828713.5%
      Conneaut, OH12,5248712.8%
      Geneva, OH5,9478713.4%
      North Madison, OH8,685909.9%
      Ashtabula, OH18,0678515.0%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Eastlake, OH18,072909.5%
      North Druid Hills, GA18,07412827.8%
      Pelham, ON18,077n/a 
      Avon, IN18,0561044.0%
      Saint-Basile-le-Grand, QC18,054n/a 
      Ashtabula, OH18,0678515.0%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.