| Index | Davis | California | National |
| Cost of living | 175 | 141 | 100 |
| Groceries | 108 | 111 | 100 |
| Health care | 118 | 116 | 100 |
| Housing | 310 | 197 | 100 |
| Transportation | 120 | 118 | 100 |
| Utilities | 119 | 119 | 100 |
| Lifestyle & Entertainment | 122 | 120 | 100 |
| Household Items | 110 | 111 | 100 |
| Education & Childcare | 130 | 127 | 100 |
Are you thinking about relocating, but curious about the potential cost of living in Davis? Is it more expensive or more affordable than average? Based on the most recent report, the cost of living in Davis stands at 175, making it 75% 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.
If you're in pursuit of an economical living environment, Davis may not fit the bill, as it ranks among the most expensive places to reside in the United States. Just a minority of regions exhibit a cost of living that is more than 20% higher than the national average, and, unfortunately, Davis falls within this bracket.
Housing costs are a major factor in the Davis cost of living index, and they often eat up a big chunk of your take-home pay. Unfortunately, in this area, housing expenses for both homeownership and rentals were 209.9% higher than what's typical in an average city. That includes the prices of homes and rents, as well as mortgage rates and insurance.
The real experts on a city are its residents. That's why we reached out to 9 locals to get their views on the cost of living in Davis. We surveyed the residents and asked them if they felt like prices were affordable or out of reach. The results were as follows. 33% found it budget-friendly with decreasing prices, while 67% said it's simply not affordable as prices have continued to rise.
Is Davis affordable? This is a pivotal question, especially when mulling over a move, as affordability carries substantial weight in your decision-making process. Factors such as the cost of living index (discussed earlier), housing expenses and income levels all contribute to a location's affordability. For instance, in Davis, the median home price is 268.8% higher than the national average and monthly rent prices are 72.4% higher than the typical rates. Additionally, the median income levels play a role in affordability, with Davis boasting a median household income of $110,675, 36.1% higher than the national average.
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 Davis, the utilities index is 19.3% higher than the national average.
Urbanization: Larger, urban centers, known for their wealth of amenities and strong employment prospects, often exhibit an elevated cost of living, primarily attributable to the heightened demand for services and residential relocation. Consequently, this scenario leads to elevated home prices and higher rental rates. In contrast, sparsely populated rural areas or regions characterized by diminished demand typically provide a more limited array of amenities and experience slower job market growth, resulting in a more affordable cost of living.
Taxes: Regions that impose higher taxes, including sales and income taxes, can contribute to an increased cost of living. Higher taxes for everyday necessities such as clothing, utilities and food inevitably leads to higher expenditures. Additionally, a higher income tax rate can also play a role in elevating the overall cost of living. In Davis, the prevailing sales tax rate starts at 7.25%, and income tax rates kick off at 1%.
The Davis 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 | $231,058 | $19,255 | $5,391 | $6,932 |
| Renters | $62,178 | $5,182 | $1,451 | $1,866 |
| 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. |
| Yolo, CA | 200 | 117 | 16.7% |
| Freeport, CA | 71 | 116 | 15.6% |
| Clarksburg, CA | 377 | 117 | 17.0% |
| Hood, CA | 299 | 117 | 17.0% |
| Madison, CA | 519 | 109 | 8.9% |
| Davis, CA | 71,215 | 175 | 75.0% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Broomfield, CO | 71,202 | 140 | 40.0% |
| Greenville, SC | 71,185 | 119 | 18.6% |
| Glen Burnie, MD | 71,246 | 119 | 19.4% |
| Lynwood, CA | 71,286 | 142 | 41.8% |
| North Port, FL | 71,341 | 110 | 10.2% |
| Davis, CA | 71,215 | 175 | 75.0% |
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