F
31%
Overall NAT. AVG.
9%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
75%
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 Placerville California National
Cost of living131140100
Goods & Services109111100
Groceries108112100
Health care113109100
Housing175196100
Transportation121126100
Utilities114127100

An Overview of Cost of Living in Placerville, CA

Understanding the cost of living in Placerville can help future residents assess whether their current financial situation aligns with the expenses they will encounter. It enables them to plan for potential changes in their budget and lifestyle. The Placerville cost of living index is 131, which is 31% higher than the national average. The cost of living index is calculated by taking into account multiple categories, which encompass both the cost of everyday expenditures and larger expenses as well.

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 Placerville 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, Placerville 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 Placerville 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 74.7% 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 Placerville Affordable?

Is Placerville 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 Placerville, the median home price is 97.8% higher than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 21% higher than the usual rates. Income levels in Placerville come in at $60,334, which is 9.1% higher than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Placerville?

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.

Groceries: Grocery prices have seen substantial hikes in the last 2-3 years, with some markets witnessing food cost increases of over 20% during this period. Conversely, certain markets have experienced only moderate upticks. These variations in food expenses can have a substantial impact on the overall cost of living in any locality. In Placerville, the groceries index is 8.2% higher than the national average.

Utilities: Similar to the prices of any goods or services, utility expenses can fluctuate widely, contingent on variables such as climate, available energy sources, geographical location and state regulations. Costs associated with electricity, water, heating, and waste disposal can differ in magnitude, depending on the specific city or state. In Placerville, the utilities index registers at 14% higher than the national average.

Where is the Data From?

The Placerville 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. The index takes into account data from 300 independent researches, covering more than 60 goods and services across 6 different categories, to create an overall index for each area, with 100 being the average. The C2ER index does not include sales or income tax rates in their data, however AreaVibes does include both income and sales tax rates in the overall cost of living score for each area.

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Cost Of Living Quick Facts

  • The cost of living in Placerville is 6% lower than the California average
  • The cost of living in Placerville is 31% higher than the national average
  • Placerville housing is 75% higher than the national average
  • California general sales tax is 42% higher than the national average
  • California state income tax is 61% lower than the national average

Most Affordable Places to Live in and Around Placerville

See all the best places to live around Placerville

Compare Placerville, CA 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$85,711$7,143$2,000$2,572
      Renters$37,469$3,122$874$1,124
      The percentage of monthly income spent on housing related expenses can help predict the affordability of housing in Placerville, CA, 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 Placerville, homeowners have a median income of $85,711. Using that number, a maximum of $2,000 per month should be allocated to housing expenses. For those who are renting instead of owning, the median income is $37,469, which means there is a maximum of $874 to be spent on the costs of renting a home or apartment.

      California Sales Tax

      State General Sales Tax With Max Surtax
      California 7.25% 10.5%

      California Income Tax

      State Income Tax (Low) Income Tax (High)
      California 1% 13.3%

      Goods & Services

      Item Placerville National avg. Difference
      Haircut $40.00$24.2664.9%
      Beauty Salon $60.53$45.5632.8%
      Toothpaste $3.67$3.701.0%
      Shampoo $1.44$1.2812.5%
      Movie $13.76$12.1313.4%
      Bowling $22.22$18.0023.5%

      Groceries

      Item Placerville National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $5.56$5.844.7%
      Fried Chicken $2.06$1.5731.0%
      Milk $4.93$4.675.5%
      Potatoes $4.69$4.935.0%
      Pizza $13.98$12.0915.7%
      Beer $10.49$10.410.8%

      Health Care

      Item Placerville National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $153.50$125.6822.1%
      Doctor $201.43$135.7848.3%
      Dentist $115.72$113.292.1%
      Ibuprofen $11.03$10.653.5%
      Lipitor $380.45$468.6018.8%

      Housing

      Item Placerville National avg. Difference
      Home Price $365,300.00$184,700.0097.8%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $3,182.68$2,346.6935.6%
      Apartment Rent $1,148.00$949.0021.0%

      Transportation

      Item Placerville National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $4.51$3.4630.2%
      Tire Balancing $58.67$59.922.1%

      Utilities

      Item Placerville National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $238.53$193.9923.0%
      Phone $190.81$192.250.7%
      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.
      Cold Springs CDP (Tuolumne County), CA12511211.6%
      Cold Springs, CA675936.5%
      River Pines, CA4201043.9%
      Grizzly Flats, CA1,38212120.7%
      Pollock Pines, CA6,48012121.2%
      Placerville, CA10,95413130.5%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      DeRidder, LA10,955909.7%
      Raymondville, TX10,9507227.9%
      Mount Kisco, NY10,94914140.7%
      Dobbs Ferry, NY10,95917372.5%
      Montmagny, QC10,961n/a 
      Placerville, CA10,95413130.5%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.