Plum, PA Cost Of Living

Plum cost of living index

In the event that the cost of living data was unavailable for this city, estimates based upon nearby cities were used. Each cost of living index is based on a national average of 100. If the amount is below 100, it is lower than the national average. If the amount is above 100, it is higher than the national average.
Index	Plum	Pennsylvania	National
Cost of living index	97	100	100
Index	Plum	Pennsylvania	National
Goods & Services index	97	100	100
Groceries index	110	105	100
Health care index	94	92	100
Housing index	83	91	100
Transportation index	107	108	100
Utilities index	110	111	100

Here we can see a simple outline of the cost of living in Plum, PA. As you can see, with the average cost of living in Plum, PA being 97, that puts it 3% lower than the average of Pennsylvania and 3% lower than our nation's average. This simple outline of the cost of living index was formulated using prices of: goods and services (weighted 33%), housing prices (weighted 30%), groceries (weighted 13%), utilities (weighted 10%), transportation (weighted 9%), and health care (weighted 5%). Thus, goods/services, along with housing influences the majority of the cost of living index. The price of daily goods and services is a valuable and reliable number to be aware of when considering the general price of the city's goods. In the case of Plum, PA, the price of goods and services are 3% lower than the average of Pennsylvania as well as 3% lower than the nation's average.

Did you know?

The cost of living in Plum is 3% lower than the Pennsylvania average.
The cost of living in Plum is 3% lower than the national average.
The cost of housing in Plum is 17% lower than the national average.
Pennsylvania general sales tax is 18% higher than the national average.
Pennsylvania state income tax is 38% higher than the national average.

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Salary Calculator

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Price difference in compared to

Cost of living index
Goods & Services index
Groceries index
Health care index
Housing index
Transportation index
Utilities index

The salary calculator is used in order to provide a comparison of your current salary in Plum, PA to another city of your choice. The calculator will inform you of what your salary needs to be in any specific city in order for you to maintain your living standard based on what the city’s cost of living is. As an example, if you are seeking to move to a city that has a higher cost of living compared to Plum, PA, you would have to earn a higher income to maintain a standard of living that is similar. To get started with the Plum, PA salary calculator, input the new city’s name and then move the slider to indicate your current income. The salary calculator will now process the numbers and show you whether you need to earn more or less in the chosen city. A comprehensive breakdown of the cost of living will also be shown.

Median Income & Debt-To-Income Ratio

Median Income	Per Year	Per Month	Max Budget (28% DTI)	Max Budget (36% DTI)
Owners	$78,970	$6,581	$1,843	$2,369
Renters	$50,056	$4,171	$1,168	$1,502

How much of your monthly income goes to housing can tell you whether or not you can afford housing in Plum, PA, as well as what the average cost of living is. Generally, a good rule to follow is that the debt-to-income (DTI) level you want to maintain is 28 percent or less of your income on your rent or mortgage payment and not more than 36 percent of income on all expenses and debts. In Plum, PA homeowners have a median income of $78,970. Using that number, you will come up with a maximum of $1,843 per month that can be spent on the cost of housing. For those who are renting instead of owning, the median income is $50,056, which means there is a maximum of $1,168 to be spent on the costs of renting a home or apartment.

Pennsylvania Sales Tax

State	General Sales Tax	With Max Surtax
Pennsylvania	6%	8%

Pennsylvania Income Tax

State	Income Tax (Low)	Income Tax (High)
Pennsylvania	3.07%	3.07%

The Pennsylvania sales tax and Pennsylvania income tax rates should definitely be considered when determining the overall cost of living in Plum, PA. Sales taxes are taxes that are imposed onto goods and services sold. Sales taxes do vary by state and can range from no tax at all to upwards of 7%. The Pennsylvania sales tax is 6% and the maximum surtax is 8%. Income tax is the tax imposed on income by the government. The income tax rates will vary by state and will also increase or decrease depending on the corresponding tax bracket. State income tax rates can range from anywhere from no tax at all to more than 9%. The Pennsylvania income tax rates range from 3.07% to 3.07%.

Goods & Services

Item	Plum	National avg.	Difference
Haircut	$17.53	$16.09	9.0%
Beauty Salon	$32.20	$37.33	13.7%
Toothpaste	$2.41	$2.45	1.5%
Shampoo	$1.02	$1.00	1.6%
Movie	$9.93	$10.28	3.4%
Bowling	$4.13	$4.93	16.3%

Groceries

Item	Plum	National avg.	Difference
Ground Beef	$3.53	$3.80	7.1%
Fried Chicken	$1.57	$1.40	12.6%
Milk	$1.90	$2.01	5.5%
Potatoes	$2.99	$3.01	0.6%
Pizza	$9.99	$9.89	1.1%
Beer	$10.08	$8.90	13.3%

Health Care

Item	Plum	National avg.	Difference
Optometrist	$86.58	$102.16	15.2%
Doctor	$98.75	$108.36	8.9%
Dentist	$86.30	$92.53	6.7%
Ibuprofen	$9.43	$9.28	1.6%
Lipitor	$415.17	$425.82	2.5%

Housing

Item	Plum	National avg.	Difference
Home Price	$142,800.00	$184,700.00	22.7%
Avg. Mortgage Payment	$1,031.03	$1,202.44	14.3%
Apartment Rent	$916.00	$949.00	3.5%

Transportation

Item	Plum	National avg.	Difference
Gasoline	$2.61	$2.24	16.1%
Tire Balancing	$40.59	$46.29	12.3%

Utilities

Item	Plum	National avg.	Difference
All Electricity	$186.46	$165.96	12.3%
Phone	$30.99	$28.68	8.0%

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, State	Population	Cost of Living Index	National Avg.
Arnold City, PA	546	80	-20%
Rankin, PA	2,274	80	-20%
North Braddock, PA	4,810	81	-19%
Braddock, PA	1,841	81	-19%
Kiskimere, PA	51	81	-19%
Plum, PA	27,474	97	-3%

Cities with similar population

City, State	Population	Cost of Living Index	National Avg.
Fridley, MN	27,447	101	1%
Saratoga Springs, NY	27,447	121	21%
Westport, CT	27,511	222	122%
Bergenfield, NJ	27,513	146	46%
Allen Park, MI	27,519	89	-11%
Plum, PA	27,474	97	-3%

Source: The Plum, PA cost of living data displayed above is derived from the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) for 2017.

Plum, PA Cost of Living