F
55%
Overall NAT. AVG.
27%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
140%
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 Secaucus New Jersey National
Cost of living155121100
Goods & Services127106100
Groceries113102100
Health care12199100
Housing240158100
Transportation115103100
Utilities102107100

An Overview of Cost of Living in Secaucus, NJ

Are you thinking about relocating, but curious about the potential cost of living in Secaucus? Is it more expensive or more affordable than average? Based on the most recent report, the cost of living in Secaucus stands at 155, making it 55% 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 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 Secaucus 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, Secaucus 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 Secaucus 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 139.8% 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 things you purchase regularly, like clothes, haircuts, movie tickets and gym memberships, can make a big dent in your budget and make up 33% of the cost of living index. Unfortunately in Secaucus, these items will cost you 26.8% more than what's considered the norm, making it a more expensive place to call home.

The substantial and relentless rise in grocery prices definitely warrants some attention. Over the past two years, grocery expenses have escalated by more than 10%. Having said that, the situation in Secaucus is even less favorable, with grocery prices here being 13.4% higher than the national average.

Is Secaucus Affordable?

Is Secaucus 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 Secaucus is 156.4% higher than the national average, while the average monthly rent prices are 100.9% higher than average. The affordability of any location can also be influenced by median income levels. Secaucus has a median household income of $125,142, which is 126.2% higher than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Secaucus?

Taxes: Cities that enforce higher taxes, covering both sales taxes and income taxes, can be a factor contributing to a higher cost of living. Paying more in taxes for everyday essentials like clothing and food inevitably leads to higher expenses. A higher income tax rate can further contribute to an overall elevated cost of living. In Secaucus, the baseline sales tax rate begins at 6.625%, and income tax rates start at 1.4%.

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 Secaucus, the transportation index is 15.2% higher than the national average.

Healthcare: Healthcare expenditures and insurance premium rates can vary significantly, contingent upon the particular city or state. Factors such as the accessibility of healthcare facilities, out-of-pocket expenses for doctor's appointments, dental care charges, prescription medication costs, and expenses related to specialized medical care can all have an impact on the overall cost of living. In Secaucus, healthcare costs are 20.6% higher than the national average.

Where is the Data From?

The Secaucus 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 Secaucus is 28% higher than the New Jersey average
  • The cost of living in Secaucus is 55% higher than the national average
  • Secaucus housing is 140% higher than the national average
  • New Jersey general sales tax is 30% higher than the national average
  • New Jersey state income tax is 46% lower than the national average

Most Affordable Places to Live in and Around Secaucus

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Compare Secaucus, NJ 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$141,182$11,765$3,294$4,236
      Renters$93,079$7,757$2,172$2,793
      A good indicator of the general affordability of housing in Secaucus, NJ, is the percentage of monthly income that should be spent on housing expenses, otherwise known as the debt-to-income ratio (DTI). Generally speaking, no more than 28 percent of your total gross income should be spent on your housing expenses and not more than 36 percent of your gross income on total expenses, including debts. In Secaucus, the median monthly income is $141,182 for those who own their own homes. Under the standard rule, that income level would allow for $3,294 to be budgeted for housing expenses each month, at the most. Renters, on the other hand, earn about $93,079, per the median income in the area. That would allow for renters to spend up to $2,172 on monthly rental expenses.

      New Jersey Sales Tax

      State General Sales Tax With Max Surtax
      New Jersey 6.625% 12.625%

      New Jersey Income Tax

      State Income Tax (Low) Income Tax (High)
      New Jersey 1.4% 10.75%

      Goods & Services

      Item Secaucus National avg. Difference
      Haircut $34.94$24.2644.0%
      Beauty Salon $64.07$45.5640.6%
      Toothpaste $3.96$3.707.0%
      Shampoo $1.69$1.2832.3%
      Movie $13.68$12.1312.8%
      Bowling $29.40$18.0063.3%

      Groceries

      Item Secaucus National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $5.87$5.840.6%
      Fried Chicken $1.46$1.576.9%
      Milk $4.97$4.676.3%
      Potatoes $5.21$4.935.7%
      Pizza $12.57$12.094.0%
      Beer $11.87$10.4114.0%

      Health Care

      Item Secaucus National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $128.97$125.682.6%
      Doctor $162.24$135.7819.5%
      Dentist $149.64$113.2932.1%
      Ibuprofen $11.15$10.654.6%
      Lipitor $402.75$468.6014.1%

      Housing

      Item Secaucus National avg. Difference
      Home Price $473,600.00$184,700.00156.4%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $6,916.73$2,346.69194.7%
      Apartment Rent $1,907.00$949.00100.9%

      Transportation

      Item Secaucus National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $3.55$3.462.5%
      Tire Balancing $86.43$59.9244.2%

      Utilities

      Item Secaucus National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $201.27$193.993.8%
      Phone $200.67$192.254.4%
      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.
      Greenville CDP (Greene County), NY6041066.1%
      East Orange, NJ64,65011111.1%
      Roselle, NJ21,69911212.0%
      Silver Lake CDP (Warren County), NJ32011313.2%
      Newark, NJ281,91711414.0%
      Secaucus, NJ20,66715555.0%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Ellensburg, WA20,6791098.9%
      East Moline, IL20,6838811.7%
      Pitt Meadows, BC20,683n/a 
      Cobourg, ON20,684n/a 
      Universal City, TX20,691972.9%
      Secaucus, NJ20,66715555.0%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.