An Overview of Cost of Living in Ashtabula, OH
Knowing the cost of living in Ashtabula 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 Ashtabula stands at 85, marking it 15% lower than the national average.
Housing expenses often consume a significant portion of your net income, occasionally surpassing 30%. Fortunately, housing costs in Ashtabula are 51.6% below the national average. This highlights the region's exceptional affordability for both homeownership and rentals in comparison to the rest of the country. This favorable housing situation allows residents to allocate a more reasonable fraction of their income to housing, resulting in enhanced financial flexibility and improved overall financial well-being.
Is Ashtabula Affordable?
Is Ashtabula 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 Ashtabula is 61.3% lower than the national average, while the average monthly rent prices are 29.1% lower than average. The affordability of any location can also be influenced by median income levels. Ashtabula has a median household income of $33,918, which is 38.7% lower than the national average.
What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Ashtabula?
Transportation: In areas where public transportation is scarce or unavailable, residents often find themselves compelled to own and upkeep vehicles, thereby increasing the overall cost of living. Monthly expenses encompass fuel, insurance, routine maintenance and potentially lease or financing payments. In Ashtabula, the transportation index is 14% 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 Ashtabula, the housing index is 51.6% lower than the national average.
Healthcare: Healthcare costs and insurance premiums can fluctuate greatly based on the city or state. Access to healthcare facilities, out-of-pocket expenses for doctor\’s visits, dentist costs, medication costs and specialized care costs can all impact the cost of living. In Ashtabula, the healthcare costs are 11.4% lower than the national average.
Where is the Data From?
The Ashtabula 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.
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