A+
7%
Overall NAT. AVG.
7%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
14%
Housing NAT. AVG.
Search Homes for Sale
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 Bartow Florida National
Cost of living9398100
Goods & Services9398100
Groceries10099100
Health care9296100
Housing8696100
Transportation10099100
Utilities9997100

An Overview of Cost of Living in Bartow, FL

The cost of living in Bartow 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 Bartow is 93, which is 7% lower than the national average. Knowledge of the cost of living can help individuals make informed decisions about retirement savings, investments, and financial goals.

The cost of living in Bartow closely mirrors the national average in comparison to other cities nationwide. Essential items such as groceries, goods and services, health care and utilities are priced at a level consistent with similar urban areas. This means that residents of Bartow can anticipate that their daily expenses will remain reasonably in line with those of an average city, contributing to a manageable cost of living.

Is Bartow Affordable?

Is Bartow an affordable place to live? That's a valid question to ask when you're thinking about moving to a new city. After all, how much it costs to live somewhere can be a huge factor in your decision. Affordability can be broken down into 3 common categories. The cost of living index (we talked about it earlier), housing expenses and income levels all play a big role in figuring out if a place is affordable. For instance, in Bartow, the median home price is 14.8% lower than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 10.6% lower than the usual rates. Income levels in Bartow come in at $48,227, which is 12.8% lower than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Bartow?

Utilities: Like everything else, utilities costs can range significantly depending on factors like climate, energy sources available, location and even state regulations. Things like electricity, water, heating and waste disposal costs can be higher or lower, depending on the city or state. The utilities index in Bartow comes in at 1.1% lower than the national average.

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 Bartow, the baseline sales tax rate begins at 6%, and income tax rates start at 0%.

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.

Where is the Data From?

The Bartow 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.

New Real Estate Listings in Bartow Area
Search Homes for Sale in Bartow, FL

Cost Of Living Quick Facts

  • The cost of living in Bartow is 5% lower than the Florida average
  • The cost of living in Bartow is 7% lower than the national average
  • Bartow housing is 14% lower than the national average
  • Florida general sales tax is 18% higher than the national average
  • Florida state income tax is 100% lower than the national average

Most Affordable Places to Live in and Around Bartow

See all the best places to live around Bartow

Compare Bartow, FL Cost of Living

      vs
      How would you rate the cost of living in Bartow?
      Write a review to give others more information about this area.
      Is the cost of living increasing or decreasing in Bartow?
      Write a review to give others more information about this area.
      See all Bartow poll results

      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$69,459$5,788$1,621$2,084
      Renters$30,401$2,533$709$912
      A good indicator of the general affordability of housing in Bartow, FL, 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 Bartow, the median monthly income is $69,459 for those who own their own homes. Under the standard rule, that income level would allow for $1,621 to be budgeted for housing expenses each month, at the most. Renters, on the other hand, earn about $30,401, per the median income in the area. That would allow for renters to spend up to $709 on monthly rental expenses.

      Florida Sales Tax

      State General Sales Tax With Max Surtax
      Florida 6% 7.5%

      Florida Income Tax

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

      Goods & Services

      Item Bartow National avg. Difference
      Haircut $15.67$24.2635.4%
      Beauty Salon $54.72$45.5620.1%
      Toothpaste $3.67$3.700.8%
      Shampoo $1.48$1.2815.3%
      Movie $8.61$12.1329.1%
      Bowling $19.67$18.009.3%

      Groceries

      Item Bartow National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $6.06$5.843.8%
      Fried Chicken $1.48$1.575.7%
      Milk $4.56$4.672.3%
      Potatoes $5.34$4.938.1%
      Pizza $8.38$12.0930.6%
      Beer $10.69$10.412.6%

      Health Care

      Item Bartow National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $146.67$125.6816.7%
      Doctor $122.32$135.789.9%
      Dentist $103.33$113.298.8%
      Ibuprofen $10.74$10.650.8%
      Lipitor $523.90$468.6011.8%

      Housing

      Item Bartow National avg. Difference
      Home Price $157,300.00$184,700.0014.8%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $1,846.50$2,346.6921.3%
      Apartment Rent $848.00$949.0010.6%

      Transportation

      Item Bartow National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $3.42$3.461.0%
      Tire Balancing $57.28$59.924.4%

      Utilities

      Item Bartow National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $219.66$193.9913.2%
      Phone $194.37$192.251.1%
      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.
      Fussels Corner, FL4,7807920.5%
      Wahneta, FL3,9888218.1%
      Bradley Junction, FL7028217.9%
      Mulberry, FL4,1348217.8%
      Inwood, FL7,1968614.4%
      Bartow, FL19,762936.7%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Middleton, WI19,76412625.5%
      Blythe, CA19,747964.3%
      Sherwood, OR19,74514039.8%
      Mont-Saint-Hilaire, QC19,745n/a 
      Seymour, IN19,780919.1%
      Bartow, FL19,762936.7%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.