| Index | Helena | Alabama | National |
| Cost of living | 101 | 89 | 100 |
| Groceries | 96 | 96 | 100 |
| Health care | 95 | 95 | 100 |
| Housing | 114 | 74 | 100 |
| Transportation | 98 | 95 | 100 |
| Utilities | 99 | 97 | 100 |
| Lifestyle & Entertainment | 92 | 94 | 100 |
| Household Items | 95 | 96 | 100 |
| Education & Childcare | 90 | 93 | 100 |
The cost of living in Helena 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 Helena is 101, which is 1% 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 Helena are priced in a manner consistent with other areas. This means that residents of Helena can anticipate their daily expenses remaining reasonably similar to those in an average city, thereby supporting a manageable cost of living.
Is Helena 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 Helena, the median home price is 9.3% higher than the national average and monthly rent prices are 25.4% higher than the typical rates. Additionally, the median income levels play a role in affordability, with Helena boasting a median household income of $135,368, 66.4% higher than the national average.
Transportation: If public transportation is limited or not available, residents may need to own and maintain vehicles, which can add to the cost of living. Gas, insurance, regular maintenance and potentially lease or finance payments will all need to be paid on a monthly basis. In Helena, the transportation index is 2.1% lower 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.
Groceries: Grocery expenditures have undergone notable escalation over the last 2-3 years. In some markets, the cost of food products has surged by more than 20%, while others have experienced only modest increments. These fluctuations in food costs can have a significant impact on the overall cost of living in any region. In Helena, the groceries index registers 4% lower than the national average.
The Helena 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 | $138,010 | $11,501 | $3,220 | $4,141 |
| Renters | $58,481 | $4,873 | $1,364 | $1,755 |
| State | General Sales Tax | With Max Surtax |
| Alabama | 4% | 13.5% |
| State | Income Tax (Low) | Income Tax (High) |
| Alabama | 2% | 5% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Brantleyville, AL | 837 | 76 | 24.1% |
| North Johns, AL | 156 | 80 | 19.8% |
| Brighton, AL | 2,939 | 81 | 18.8% |
| Lipscomb, AL | 2,120 | 82 | 18.3% |
| Midfield, AL | 5,127 | 85 | 15.5% |
| Helena, AL | 19,288 | 101 | 0.9% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Bellwood, IL | 19,287 | 99 | 1.0% |
| Cedar Mill, OR | 19,282 | 165 | 64.7% |
| Farmington, MO | 19,279 | 90 | 10.2% |
| Cortland, NY | 19,302 | 96 | 3.9% |
| Imperial, CA | 19,303 | 118 | 18.5% |
| Helena, AL | 19,288 | 101 | 0.9% |
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