An Overview of Cost of Living in Suffern, NY
The cost of living in Suffern 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 Suffern is 124, which is 24% higher than the national average. Knowledge of the cost of living can help individuals make informed decisions about retirement savings, investments, and financial goals.
If you're in pursuit of an economical living environment, Suffern 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, Suffern falls within this bracket.
Housing costs are a major factor in the Suffern 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 66.3% 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 Suffern Affordable?
Wondering if Suffern is affordable? It's a question that often comes up when you're thinking about a new city since affordability can really shape your decisions. The cost of living index (covered earlier), housing expenses and income levels all play a part in the affordability equation. In Suffern, for example, the median home price is 67% higher than what folks pay nationally, and monthly rent is 64.7% higher than the usual rates. Plus, income levels matter too, with Suffern boasting a median household income of $86,383, which is 56.1% higher than the national average.
What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Suffern?
Utilities: As with the prices of anything else, utility costs can exhibit significant variations, contingent on factors like climate, energy source availability, geographic location and state regulations. The expenses associated with electricity, water, heating, and waste disposal can fluctuate, either upward or downward, depending on the particular city or state. In Suffern, the utilities index registers 10.7% 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: The costs associated with healthcare and insurance premiums can exhibit notable disparities based on the city or state of residence. Access to healthcare facilities, out-of-pocket expenses for medical appointments, dental care charges, prescription medication costs and specialized medical care expenses all contribute to variations in the cost of living. In Suffern, healthcare costs are 4.1% lower than the national average.
Where is the Data From?
The cost of living in Suffern, 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.