| Index | Norristown | Pennsylvania | National |
| Cost of living | 99 | 97 | 100 |
| Groceries | 99 | 100 | 100 |
| Health care | 99 | 99 | 100 |
| Housing | 96 | 90 | 100 |
| Transportation | 102 | 101 | 100 |
| Utilities | 101 | 99 | 100 |
| Lifestyle & Entertainment | 98 | 100 | 100 |
| Household Items | 101 | 99 | 100 |
| Education & Childcare | 99 | 101 | 100 |
Knowing the cost of living in Norristown allows individuals to create a realistic budget. This helps them understand how their income will cover expenses and whether they need to make financial adjustments. The cost of living in any region can fluctuate due to various factors. To assess the cost of living consistently across different areas, a national average of 100 serves as the basis for the cost of living index. The cost of living in Norristown stands at 99, marking it 1% lower than the national average.
Everyday expenditures like food, housing, lifestyle expenses, transportation and health care in Norristown are priced in a manner consistent with other areas. This means that residents of Norristown can anticipate their daily expenses remaining reasonably similar to those in an average city, thereby supporting a manageable cost of living.
Is Norristown 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 Norristown is 11.8% lower than the national average, while the average monthly rent prices are 15% higher than average. The affordability of any location can also be influenced by median income levels. Norristown has a median household income of $81,175, which is 0.2% 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 Norristown, the transportation index is 1.6% higher than the national average.
Groceries: Over the past 2-3 years, grocery expenses have experienced substantial upward trends. In certain markets, food prices have surged by over 20% during this period, while others have witnessed more modest increases. These fluctuations in food costs can wield significant influence over the overall cost of living in a given region. In Norristown, the groceries index is 0.8% 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 Norristown 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 | $115,434 | $9,620 | $2,693 | $3,463 |
| Renters | $58,354 | $4,863 | $1,362 | $1,751 |
| 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. |
| Arcadia University, PA | 609 | 100 | 0.1% |
| Cheyney University, PA | 198 | 99 | 0.8% |
| Camden, NJ | 76,587 | 96 | 4.4% |
| Colwyn, PA | 2,607 | 91 | 8.7% |
| Darby, PA | 11,011 | 91 | 8.5% |
| Norristown, PA | 35,552 | 99 | 1.2% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Torrington, CT | 35,543 | 102 | 2.3% |
| Plainfield, IN | 35,538 | 99 | 1.3% |
| Boardman, OH | 35,595 | 85 | 15.3% |
| Leawood, KS | 35,495 | 136 | 36.2% |
| Butte-Silver Bow, MT | 35,459 | 96 | 3.6% |
| Norristown, PA | 35,552 | 99 | 1.2% |
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