A+
11%
Overall NAT. AVG.
1%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
34%
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 Fernley Nevada National
Cost of living111100100
Goods & Services9992100
Groceries101103100
Health care9592100
Housing134104100
Transportation122117100
Utilities9299100

An Overview of Cost of Living in Fernley, NV

Are you thinking about relocating, but curious about the potential cost of living in Fernley? Is it more expensive or more affordable than average? Based on the most recent report, the cost of living in Fernley stands at 111, making it 11% 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.

Housing costs make up a big chunk of the cost of living in Fernley, and they usually eat into a large part of your take-home pay. Unfortunately, in this area, both buying a home and renting one costs 34.4% more than the average city. This includes stuff like home prices, rent, mortgage rates, and insurance.

Is Fernley Affordable?

Wondering if Fernley 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 Fernley, for example, the median home price is 38.7% higher than what folks pay nationally, and monthly rent is 24.4% higher than the usual rates. Plus, income levels matter too, with Fernley boasting a median household income of $66,525, which is 20.3% higher than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Fernley?

Urbanization: Larger, urban areas boasting abundant amenities and robust employment prospects often exhibit a heightened cost of living, driven by the increased demand for services and residential relocation. Consequently, this leads to elevated home prices and higher rental rates. In contrast, sparsely populated rural locales or regions marked by diminished demand typically offer a more limited range of amenities and experience slower job market expansion. This translates into a more affordable cost of living.

Groceries: Grocery expenditures have undergone notable escalation over the last 2-3 years. In some markets, the cost of food products has surged by more than 20%, while others have experienced only modest increments. These fluctuations in food costs can have a significant impact on the overall cost of living in any region. In Fernley, the groceries index registers 0.8% higher than the national average.

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 Fernley, the transportation index is 22.4% higher than the national average.

Where is the Data From?

The Fernley 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 Fernley is 11% higher than the Nevada average
  • The cost of living in Fernley is 11% higher than the national average
  • Fernley housing is 34% higher than the national average
  • Nevada general sales tax is 34% higher than the national average
  • Nevada state income tax is 100% lower than the national average

Most Affordable Places to Live in and Around Fernley

See all the best places to live around Fernley

Compare Fernley, NV 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$78,316$6,526$1,827$2,350
      Renters$50,755$4,230$1,184$1,523
      The affordability of the housing market in Fernley, NV as well as the overall cost of living can be predicted by what percent of the monthly income is spent on housing related costs. This is konwn as the debt-to-income ratio (DTI). The overall rule of thumb is that no more than 28% of your gross income should be spent on the overall costs related to housing and no more than 36% of gross income on all expenses and debts. Among Fernley homeowners, the median income is $78,316. This indicates that a monthly maximum of $1,827 should be spent by homeowners on all housing related costs. Renters have a median income of $50,755. This indicates that renters would have a maximum of $1,184 for their rent related monthly costs.

      Nevada Sales Tax

      State General Sales Tax With Max Surtax
      Nevada 6.85% 8.25%

      Nevada Income Tax

      State Income Tax (Low) Income Tax (High)
      Nevada 0% 0%

      Goods & Services

      Item Fernley National avg. Difference
      Haircut $25.78$24.266.2%
      Beauty Salon $42.67$45.566.4%
      Toothpaste $3.72$3.700.4%
      Shampoo $1.37$1.286.7%
      Movie $11.00$12.139.3%
      Bowling $21.95$18.0021.9%

      Groceries

      Item Fernley National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $5.87$5.840.5%
      Fried Chicken $1.87$1.5718.7%
      Milk $4.60$4.671.6%
      Potatoes $4.57$4.937.4%
      Pizza $12.67$12.094.9%
      Beer $9.41$10.419.6%

      Health Care

      Item Fernley National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $115.11$125.688.4%
      Doctor $129.11$135.784.9%
      Dentist $118.11$113.294.3%
      Ibuprofen $10.85$10.651.8%
      Lipitor $349.59$468.6025.4%

      Housing

      Item Fernley National avg. Difference
      Home Price $256,200.00$184,700.0038.7%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $2,701.18$2,346.6915.1%
      Apartment Rent $1,181.00$949.0024.4%

      Transportation

      Item Fernley National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $4.40$3.4627.1%
      Tire Balancing $66.55$59.9211.1%

      Utilities

      Item Fernley National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $171.07$193.9911.8%
      Phone $185.80$192.253.4%
      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.
      Wadsworth, NV7878514.7%
      Silver Springs, NV4,910981.5%
      Fernley, NV20,61611111.4%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Gardner, MA20,60511211.7%
      Lloydminster (Part), AB20,628n/a 
      Marquette, MI20,631964.1%
      Ferguson, MO20,6318316.6%
      Merrick, NY20,59416868.2%
      Fernley, NV20,61611111.4%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.