| Index | Chatham | Illinois | National |
| Cost of living | 102 | 98 | 100 |
| Groceries | 98 | 100 | 100 |
| Health care | 101 | 100 | 100 |
| Housing | 108 | 95 | 100 |
| Transportation | 102 | 101 | 100 |
| Utilities | 99 | 99 | 100 |
| Lifestyle & Entertainment | 99 | 100 | 100 |
| Household Items | 99 | 100 | 100 |
| Education & Childcare | 95 | 100 | 100 |
Are you thinking about relocating, but curious about the potential cost of living in Chatham? Is it more expensive or more affordable than average? Based on the most recent report, the cost of living in Chatham stands at 102, making it 2% 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.
The cost of living in Chatham closely mirrors the national average in comparison to other cities nationwide. Essential items such as groceries, houshold expenses, health care and utilities are priced at a level consistent with similar urban areas. This means that residents of Chatham 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 Chatham 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 Chatham, the median home price is 9.6% higher than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 4.9% higher than the usual rates. Income levels in Chatham come in at $146,139, which is 79.7% higher than the national average.
Healthcare: Healthcare expenses and insurance premiums can vary significantly depending on the specific city or state. Factors such as accessibility to healthcare facilities, out-of-pocket expenses for doctor's visits, dental care expenses, prescription costs and specialized medical care fees can all influence the overall cost of living. In Chatham, healthcare costs are 1% higher than the national average.
Groceries: Grocery prices have seen substantial hikes in the last 2-3 years, with some markets witnessing food cost increases of over 20% during this period. Conversely, certain markets have experienced only moderate upticks. These variations in food expenses can have a substantial impact on the overall cost of living in any locality. In Chatham, the groceries index is 2.5% lower than the national average.
Urbanization: Urban areas with extensive amenities and job opportunities tend to have a higher cost of living due to increased demand for services and relocation, resulting in higher home prices and higher rents. Less densely populated rural areas, or areas with less demand tend to have fewer amenities and slower job growth, which results in a lower cost of living.
The Chatham cost of living estimates above use a normalized U.S. average of 100 as the baseline for comparison. Housing values incorporate local home price and rental information from the U.S. Census, while all other estimates are AI-assisted and modeled using expected everyday expenses, local market trends, climate, and transportation-related cost pressures. The results are intended for practical city-to-city comparisons.
| Cost of living index | |
| Groceries index | |
| Health care index | |
| Housing index | |
| Transportation index | |
| Utilities index | |
| Lifestyle index | |
| Household index | |
| Educare index |
| Median Income | Per Year | Per Month | Max Budget (28% DTI) | Max Budget (36% DTI) |
| Owners | $160,572 | $13,381 | $3,746 | $4,818 |
| Renters | $73,202 | $6,100 | $1,708 | $2,196 |
| State | General Sales Tax | With Max Surtax |
| Illinois | 6.25% | 10.25% |
| State | Income Tax (Low) | Income Tax (High) |
| Illinois | 4.95% | 4.95% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Tovey, IL | 600 | 81 | 19.0% |
| Modesto, IL | 227 | 82 | 17.9% |
| Clear Lake, IL | 399 | 82 | 17.6% |
| Berlin, IL | 189 | 82 | 17.5% |
| Bulpitt, IL | 244 | 83 | 16.7% |
| Chatham, IL | 13,697 | 102 | 1.7% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Miami, OK | 13,700 | 82 | 17.9% |
| Parksville, BC | 13,705 | n/a | |
| New Ulm, MN | 13,686 | 94 | 5.7% |
| Baker, LA | 13,684 | 91 | 8.8% |
| Richmond Hill, GA | 13,710 | 110 | 9.8% |
| Chatham, IL | 13,697 | 102 | 1.7% |
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