Cost of Living in Brentwood, CA

An Overview of Cost of Living in Brentwood, CA

Are you thinking about relocating, but curious about the potential cost of living in Brentwood? Is it more expensive or more affordable than average? Based on the most recent report, the cost of living in Brentwood stands at 170, making it 70% 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.

If you value affordability in your search for a new place to live, Brentwood 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, Brentwood falls into this category, which may not align with your desire for an affordable place to call home.

Housing costs are a very significant part of the Brentwood cost of living index and generally encompass a large percentage of take-home income. Unfortunately, in this area, the housing costs for both homes and rentals were 201.2% more than the average city. This includes things like home and rent prices, mortgage rates and insurance.

What Do Locals Say About the Cost of Living in Brentwood?

The real experts on a city are its residents. That's why we reached out to 9 locals to get their views on the cost of living in Brentwood. We surveyed the residents and asked them if they felt like prices were affordable or out of reach. The results were as follows. 22% found it budget-friendly with decreasing prices, while 78% said it's simply not affordable as prices have continued to rise.

Is Brentwood Affordable?

Is Brentwood 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 Brentwood, the median home price is 230.3% higher than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 133.4% higher than the usual rates. Income levels in Brentwood come in at $113,298, which is 104.8% higher than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Brentwood?

Groceries: Grocery expenditures have undergone notable escalation over the last 2-3 years. In some markets, the cost of food products has surged by more than 20%, while others have experienced only modest increments. These fluctuations in food costs can have a significant impact on the overall cost of living in any region. In Brentwood, the groceries index registers 6.8% higher than the national average.

Subsidies: Some areas might offer government subsidies or assistance programs that help lower cost of living for residents. These programs can include anything from Medicare, Medicaid, housing subsidies, low-income home energy assistance programs, school lunch programs, supplemental nutrition assistance programs, student loans, electric vehicle tax credits, affordable care act subsidies and crop subsidies. Areas that offer less subsidies, could see an increase in their cost of living.

Urbanization: Larger, urban centers, known for their wealth of amenities and strong employment prospects, often exhibit an elevated cost of living, primarily attributable to the heightened demand for services and residential relocation. Consequently, this scenario leads to elevated home prices and higher rental rates. In contrast, sparsely populated rural areas or regions characterized by diminished demand typically provide a more limited array of amenities and experience slower job market growth, resulting in a more affordable cost of living.

Where is the Data From?

The Brentwood cost of living data you see above is sourced from the C2ER cost of living index, providing a practical and accurate means of comparing living expenses in urban areas. Updated quarterly, this index gathers data from over 300 independent researchers, covering more than 60 goods and services, in 6 different categories. These selections are made meticulously to represent a wide range of consumer expenditure categories. The weightings applied to cost differences are based on government survey data that tracks spending patterns among professional and executive households. It's important to note that while the C2ER index excludes data on sales or income tax rates, AreaVibes factors tax rates into the overall cost of living score for each region.