| Index | Hershey | Pennsylvania | National |
| Cost of living | 108 | 97 | 100 |
| Groceries | 99 | 100 | 100 |
| Health care | 99 | 99 | 100 |
| Housing | 128 | 90 | 100 |
| Transportation | 100 | 101 | 100 |
| Utilities | 97 | 99 | 100 |
| Lifestyle & Entertainment | 97 | 100 | 100 |
| Household Items | 100 | 99 | 100 |
| Education & Childcare | 101 | 101 | 100 |
The cost of living in Hershey 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 Hershey is 108, which is 8% higher than the national average. Knowledge of the cost of living can help individuals make informed decisions about retirement savings, investments, and financial goals.
In Hershey, daily expenses such as food, housing, lifestyle expenses, transportation and health care are in line with comparable areas and about average when compared to all cities across the nation. This ensures that the cost of living in Hershey will resemble that of an average city, contributing to a manageable cost of living.
Housing costs are a very significant part of the Hershey cost of living index and generally encompass a large percentage of take-home income. Unfortunately, in this area, the housing costs for both homes and rentals were 28.3% more than the average city. This includes things like home and rent prices, mortgage rates and insurance.
Is Hershey 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 Hershey, the median home price is 35.6% higher than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 11.3% higher than the usual rates. Income levels in Hershey come in at $91,372, which is 12.3% higher than the national average.
Taxes: Locations with elevated tax rates, encompassing both sales and income taxes, can be a factor in driving up the cost of living. When you're paying more in taxes for everyday household expenses, it naturally translates into higher expenses. Similarly, a higher income tax rate can also contribute to an overall higher cost of living. In Hershey, the standard sales tax rate starts at 6%, and the income tax rates commence at 3.07%.
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.
Subsidies: Certain cities or states may implement government subsidies or assistance programs with the goal of alleviating the cost of living pressures on their residents. These programs encompass a broad spectrum of support mechanisms, including Medicare, Medicaid, housing subsidies, low-income home energy assistance programs, school lunch programs, supplemental nutrition assistance programs, student loans, electric vehicle tax credits, affordable care act subsidies and farming subsidies. Areas offering fewer subsidies may experience a rise in their cost of living.
The Hershey cost of living data displayed above uses a U.S. average baseline of 100 to provide a practical way to compare living expenses across cities. Housing estimates incorporate U.S. Census home price and rental data, while all other values are generated using AI-assisted models based on everyday expense expectations, regional pricing trends, climate, transportation patterns, and local economic conditions. These values are designed for directional 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 | $140,834 | $11,736 | $3,286 | $4,225 |
| Renters | $76,007 | $6,334 | $1,773 | $2,280 |
| State | General Sales Tax | With Max Surtax |
| Pennsylvania | 6% | 8% |
| State | Income Tax (Low) | Income Tax (High) |
| Pennsylvania | 3.07% | 3.07% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Fort Indiantown Gap, PA | 66 | 99 | 1.0% |
| Harrisburg, PA | 50,810 | 87 | 12.6% |
| Fredericksburg CDP (Crawford County), PA | 808 | 88 | 12.4% |
| Lebanon, PA | 26,484 | 88 | 11.6% |
| Enhaut, PA | 1,092 | 89 | 11.3% |
| Hershey, PA | 15,338 | 108 | 7.8% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Gloversville, NY | 15,335 | 94 | 6.3% |
| Sainte-Anne-des-Plaines, QC | 15,334 | n/a | |
| Leduc County, AB | 15,344 | n/a | |
| Saugeen Shores, ON | 15,330 | n/a | |
| Jackson, MO | 15,346 | 97 | 3.0% |
| Hershey, PA | 15,338 | 108 | 7.8% |
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