An Overview of Cost of Living in North Palm Beach, FL
Are you thinking about relocating, but curious about the potential cost of living in North Palm Beach? Is it more expensive or more affordable than average? Based on the most recent report, the cost of living in North Palm Beach stands at 126, making it 26% 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're in pursuit of an economical living environment, North Palm Beach may not fit the bill, as it ranks among the most expensive places to reside in the United States. Just a minority of regions exhibit a cost of living that is more than 20% higher than the national average, and, unfortunately, North Palm Beach falls within this bracket.
Housing costs significantly influence the North Palm Beach cost of living index, typically accounting for a substantial portion of one's post-tax income. Regrettably, within this particular region, expenses related to both residential ownership and renting exceeded those observed in an average city by 79.9%. This entails elements such as housing and rental prices, mortgage interest rates and insurance costs.
Is North Palm Beach Affordable?
Is North Palm Beach 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 North Palm Beach is 87% higher than the national average, while the average monthly rent prices are 63.5% higher than average. The affordability of any location can also be influenced by median income levels. North Palm Beach has a median household income of $71,830, which is 29.8% higher than the national average.
What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in North Palm Beach?
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 North Palm Beach, the groceries index is 4.3% higher than the national average.
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.
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 North Palm Beach, the healthcare costs are 6.6% lower than the national average.
Where is the Data From?
The cost of living in North Palm Beach, presented above is derived from the C2ER cost of living index, offering a practical method for assessing living cost disparities in urban areas. Published quarterly, this index compiles data from more than 300 independent researchers, encompassing over 60 goods and services in 6 categories. The weightings assigned to cost variances are informed by government survey data tracking the expenditure patterns of professional and executive households. It should be noted that the C2ER index does not include data on sales or income tax rates, however, AreaVibes incorporates tax rates into the overall cost of living score for each area.