F
55%
Overall NAT. AVG.
8%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
167%
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 Merrifield Virginia National
Cost of living155109100
Goods & Services108100100
Groceries114101100
Health care11299100
Housing267130100
Transportation10095100
Utilities101104100

An Overview of Cost of Living in Merrifield, VA

Knowing the cost of living in Merrifield 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 Merrifield stands at 155, marking it 55% higher than the national average.

If affordability is among your top priorities when searching for a new place to live, this area may not be the ideal fit, as the cost of living in Merrifield is among the most expensive in the United States. Just a minority of areas exhibit a cost of living at least 20% higher than the national average, and unfortunately, Merrifield falls into this category, which may not align with your goal of finding a budget-friendly living environment.

Housing costs are a major factor in the Merrifield 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 166.6% higher than what's typical in an average city. That includes the prices of homes and rents, as well as mortgage rates and insurance.

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, Merrifield does not fare better, with grocery expenses coming in at 13.9% higher than the national average.

Is Merrifield Affordable?

Is Merrifield 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 Merrifield, the median home price is 189.7% higher than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 112.6% higher than the usual rates. Income levels in Merrifield come in at $126,531, which is 128.7% higher than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Merrifield?

Transportation: In situations where public transportation is limited or nonexistent, local residents may be required to own and maintain their own vehicles, contributing to an elevated cost of living. Monthly expenditures may encompass fuel costs, insurance premiums, routine vehicle upkeep and possibly lease or financing payments. In Merrifield, the transportation index is 0.5% lower than the national average.

Taxes: Cities that impose higher taxes, including sales and income taxes, can contribute to an escalated cost of living. The added expense of taxes on everyday goods like clothing and food naturally results in higher overall costs. Similarly, a higher income tax rate can further elevate the cost of living. In Merrifield, the general sales tax rate starts at 5.3%, and income tax rates begin at 2%.

Groceries: Over the past 2-3 years, grocery expenses have experienced substantial upward trends. In certain markets, food prices have surged by over 20% during this period, while others have witnessed more modest increases. These fluctuations in food costs can wield significant influence over the overall cost of living in a given region. In Merrifield, the groceries index is 13.9% higher than the national average.

Where is the Data From?

The Merrifield 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 Merrifield is 42% higher than the Virginia average
  • The cost of living in Merrifield is 55% higher than the national average
  • Merrifield housing is 167% higher than the national average
  • Virginia general sales tax is 4% higher than the national average
  • Virginia state income tax is 23% lower than the national average

Most Affordable Places to Live in and Around Merrifield

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Compare Merrifield, VA 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$156,414$13,035$3,649$4,693
      Renters$105,259$8,772$2,456$3,158
      The percentage of monthly income spent on housing related expenses can help predict the affordability of housing in Merrifield, VA, as well as what the overall cost of living might be. Generally, a good rule to follow is that the debt-to-income (DTI) level you want to maintain is 28 percent or less of your income on your rent or mortgage payments and not more than 36 percent of income on all expenses and debts. In Merrifield, homeowners have a median income of $156,414. Using that number, a maximum of $3,649 per month should be allocated to housing expenses. For those who are renting instead of owning, the median income is $105,259, which means there is a maximum of $2,456 to be spent on the costs of renting a home or apartment.

      Virginia Sales Tax

      State General Sales Tax With Max Surtax
      Virginia 5.3% 6%

      Virginia Income Tax

      State Income Tax (Low) Income Tax (High)
      Virginia 2% 5.75%

      Goods & Services

      Item Merrifield National avg. Difference
      Haircut $18.62$24.2623.3%
      Beauty Salon $35.20$45.5622.7%
      Toothpaste $3.73$3.700.7%
      Shampoo $1.22$1.285.0%
      Movie $11.20$12.137.7%
      Bowling $19.22$18.006.8%

      Groceries

      Item Merrifield National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $5.49$5.846.0%
      Fried Chicken $1.37$1.5713.0%
      Milk $4.73$4.671.3%
      Potatoes $4.76$4.933.5%
      Pizza $12.47$12.093.2%
      Beer $10.83$10.414.1%

      Health Care

      Item Merrifield National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $109.25$125.6813.1%
      Doctor $94.10$135.7830.7%
      Dentist $109.57$113.293.3%
      Ibuprofen $10.51$10.651.3%
      Lipitor $487.97$468.604.1%

      Housing

      Item Merrifield National avg. Difference
      Home Price $535,100.00$184,700.00189.7%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $1,870.08$2,346.6920.3%
      Apartment Rent $2,018.00$949.00112.6%

      Transportation

      Item Merrifield National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $3.29$3.464.9%
      Tire Balancing $62.25$59.923.9%

      Utilities

      Item Merrifield National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $248.70$193.9928.2%
      Phone $185.37$192.253.6%
      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.
      Rose Hill CDP (Lee County), VA708927.8%
      Woodlawn CDP (Carroll County), VA2,247945.9%
      Wakefield town, VA810954.6%
      Belle Haven town, VA5621022.0%
      Hillcrest Heights, MD16,49811717.1%
      Merrifield, VA18,52315554.9%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Lake Shore, MD18,52313433.5%
      Concord, MO18,5211011.0%
      Brookfield, IL18,52011312.9%
      Winchester, KY18,520918.6%
      Milledgeville, GA18,5268910.8%
      Merrifield, VA18,52315554.9%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.