| Index | Clearlake | California | National |
| Cost of living | 106 | 141 | 100 |
| Groceries | 111 | 111 | 100 |
| Health care | 117 | 116 | 100 |
| Housing | 78 | 197 | 100 |
| Transportation | 119 | 118 | 100 |
| Utilities | 121 | 119 | 100 |
| Lifestyle & Entertainment | 122 | 120 | 100 |
| Household Items | 112 | 111 | 100 |
| Education & Childcare | 127 | 127 | 100 |
The cost of living in Clearlake 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 Clearlake is 106, which is 6% higher than the national average. Knowledge of the cost of living can help individuals make informed decisions about retirement savings, investments, and financial goals.
Everyday expenditures like food, housing, lifestyle expenses, transportation and health care in Clearlake are priced in a manner consistent with other areas. This means that residents of Clearlake can anticipate their daily expenses remaining reasonably similar to those in an average city, thereby supporting a manageable cost of living.
The routine items you regularly buy for your home, such as cleaning supplies, personal care products, clothing basics, and kitchen essentials, make up 8% of the cost of living index. In Clearlake, these items cost 12.3% more than the national average, making day-to-day living a bit more expensive.
The surge in grocery costs is indeed alarming, especially when groceries make up a large portion of your monthly expenditures. Over the past two years, there has been an inflation of over 10% in grocery prices. Unfortunately, Clearlake does not fare better, with grocery expenses coming in at 10.5% higher than the national average.
The real experts on a city are its residents. That's why we reached out to 10 locals to get their views on the cost of living in Clearlake. We surveyed the residents and asked them if they felt like prices were affordable or out of reach. The results were as follows. 40% found it budget-friendly with decreasing prices, while 60% said it's simply not affordable as prices have continued to rise.
Is Clearlake 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 Clearlake is 29.6% lower than the national average, while the average monthly rent prices are 3.7% lower than average. The affordability of any location can also be influenced by median income levels. Clearlake has a median household income of $53,191, which is 34.6% lower 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 Clearlake, the transportation index is 19.3% higher than the national average.
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.
Utilities: Similar to the prices of any other goods or services, utility expenditures can exhibit substantial variability, influenced by factors such as climate, energy sources accessibility, geographical location and state regulations. Costs related to electricity, water, heating, and waste disposal can fluctuate, whether higher or lower, contingent on the city or state. In Clearlake, the utilities index is 21.2% higher than the national average.
The Clearlake 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 | $68,086 | $5,674 | $1,589 | $2,043 |
| Renters | $41,683 | $3,474 | $973 | $1,251 |
| State | General Sales Tax | With Max Surtax |
| California | 7.25% | 10.5% |
| State | Income Tax (Low) | Income Tax (High) |
| California | 1% | 13.3% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Nice, CA | 2,502 | 104 | 4.0% |
| Clearlake Oaks, CA | 2,239 | 108 | 8.2% |
| Kelseyville, CA | 3,761 | 112 | 12.3% |
| Lucerne, CA | 2,765 | 120 | 20.4% |
| Upper Lake, CA | 1,294 | 121 | 21.2% |
| Clearlake, CA | 15,774 | 106 | 5.7% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| East Rancho Dominguez, CA | 15,765 | 136 | 36.3% |
| Chubbuck, ID | 15,783 | 101 | 1.3% |
| Westbury, NY | 15,784 | 150 | 49.8% |
| Seymour, TN | 15,784 | 97 | 3.2% |
| Three Lakes, FL | 15,795 | 129 | 29.5% |
| Clearlake, CA | 15,774 | 106 | 5.7% |
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