Cost of Living in Pullman, WA

An Overview of Cost of Living in Pullman, WA

The cost of living in Pullman affects the quality of life one can afford in this new location. It allows people to assess whether they can maintain their preferred lifestyle, including housing, leisure activities and dining options. Your total monthly expenditures can varry depending on the area, as well as many other factors. The cost of living in Pullman is 114, which is 14% higher than the national average. Knowledge of the cost of living can help individuals make informed decisions about retirement savings, investments, and financial goals.

Housing costs are a major factor in the Pullman 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 36.1% 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 cost of groceries continues to rise at an alarming rate. Over the last two years, grocery prices have increased by more than 10%! Unfortunately, in Pullman, the news isn't any better as grocery prices are 10.8% higher than the national average.

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

When it comes to knowing a city, its residents are the experts. We conducted a survey with 9 locals to understand their opinions on the cost of living in Pullman. The results indicated that 33% found it reasonably priced with decreasing prices of goods and services, while 67% viewed it as quite expensive, with increasing prices.

Is Pullman Affordable?

Is Pullman 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 Pullman, the median home price is 55.8% higher than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 9.8% lower than the usual rates. Income levels in Pullman come in at $32,073, which is 42% lower than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Pullman?

Urbanization: Larger, urban hubs brimming with ample amenities and robust employment opportunities often showcase a heightened cost of living. This surge is primarily attributed to the amplified demand for services and increased residential migration, culminating in elevated home prices and elevated rental rates. Conversely, less densely populated rural locales or regions characterized by reduced demand tend to offer a more limited array of amenities and undergo slower job market growth, ultimately yielding a more affordable cost of living.

Transportation: When public transportation options are limited or non-existent, residents frequently resort to vehicle ownership, which can significantly contribute to the overall cost of living. Monthly financial obligations encompass fuel, insurance, regular maintenance and potentially lease or financing expenses. In Pullman, the transportation index is 17.5% higher than the national average.

Subsidies: Certain cities or states may implement government subsidies or assistance programs with the goal of alleviating the cost of living pressures on their residents. These programs encompass a broad spectrum of support mechanisms, including 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 farming subsidies. Areas offering fewer subsidies may experience a rise in their cost of living.

Where is the Data From?

The Pullman 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.