Cost of Living in Rolling Meadows, IL

An Overview of Cost of Living in Rolling Meadows, IL

Knowing the cost of living in Rolling Meadows 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 Rolling Meadows stands at 114, marking it 14% higher than the national average.

When it comes to the cost of living in Rolling Meadows, housing costs are a real heavyweight, often hogging a significant chunk of your earnings. Sadly, in this area, housing expenses for both buying and renting were 37.6% more expensive compared to your average city. That means you'll be shelling out more for homes, rents, mortgage rates and insurance.

Is Rolling Meadows Affordable?

Is Rolling Meadows 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 Rolling Meadows, the median home price is 33.4% higher than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 47.4% higher than the usual rates. Income levels in Rolling Meadows come in at $78,609, which is 42.1% higher than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Rolling Meadows?

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.

Transportation: In cities with limited or no public transportation, residents may find it necessary to own and maintain vehicles, thereby elevating the cost of living. Monthly expenditures include fuel, insurance, routine maintenance and potential lease or financing commitments. In Rolling Meadows, the transportation index stands at 7.2% higher than the national average.

Housing: When there's a high demand for housing in trendy places, it can cause property prices and rental rates to soar, leading to a significantly higher cost of living. Conversely, in less desirable locations, where demand is low, prices tend to decrease, resulting in a more budget-friendly cost of living. In Rolling Meadows, the housing index is 37.6% higher than the national average.

Where is the Data From?

The Rolling Meadows 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.