Cost Of Living in Plains, PA

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11%

Overall NAT. AVG.

1%

Groceries NAT. AVG.

36%

Housing NAT. AVG.

Date & Last Updated: These cost of living estimates reflect 2026 modeled data using U.S. Census housing inputs and AI-assisted city-level pricing models.

The cost of living index is based on a national average of 100. For example, if the cost of living score is 90, then the estimated cost of living is 10% lower than the national average. If the score is 110, then the estimated cost of living is 10% higher than average. The overall index is calculated using weighted estimates across major everyday expense categories, including housing (30%), groceries (16%), transportation (12%), healthcare (10%), utilities (8%), lifestyle and entertainment (8%), household expenses (8%), and education and childcare (8%). All values are AI-assisted city-level estimates designed for directional comparisons.
Index	Plains	Pennsylvania	National
Cost of living	89	97	100
Groceries	99	100	100
Health care	99	99	100
Housing	64	90	100
Transportation	101	101	100
Utilities	102	99	100
Lifestyle & Entertainment	103	100	100
Household Items	100	99	100
Education & Childcare	98	101	100

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Homes For Sale In Plains, PA

16 Maffett St

Plains, PA

161 N Main St

Plains, PA

42 Mack St

Wilkes Barre, PA

Burke St

Wilkes Barre, PA

Cost Of Living Quick Facts

The cost of living in Plains is 8% lower than the Pennsylvania average
The cost of living in Plains is 11% lower than the national average
Plains housing is 36% lower than the national average
Pennsylvania general sales tax is 18% higher than the national average
Pennsylvania state income tax is 18% higher than the national average

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Price difference in compared to

Cost of living index
Groceries index
Health care index
Housing index
Transportation index
Utilities index
Lifestyle index
Household index
Educare index

Median Income & Debt-To-Income Ratio

Median Income	Per Year	Per Month	Max Budget (28% DTI)	Max Budget (36% DTI)
Owners	$92,411	$7,701	$2,156	$2,773
Renters	$59,925	$4,994	$1,398	$1,798

The percentage of monthly income spent on housing related expenses can help predict the affordability of housing in Plains, PA, as well as what the overall cost of living might be. Generally, a good rule to follow is that the debt-to-income (DTI) level you want to maintain is 28 percent or less of your income on your rent or mortgage payments and not more than 36 percent of income on all expenses and debts. In Plains, homeowners have a median income of $92,411. Using that number, a maximum of $2,156 per month should be allocated to housing expenses. For those who are renting instead of owning, the median income is $59,925, which means there is a maximum of $1,398 to be spent on the costs of renting a home or apartment.

Pennsylvania Sales Tax

State	General Sales Tax	With Max Surtax
Pennsylvania	6%	8%

Pennsylvania Income Tax

State	Income Tax (Low)	Income Tax (High)
Pennsylvania	3.07%	3.07%

Nearby cities with low cost of living

City	Population	Cost of Living Index	National Avg.
Plymouth, PA	5,986	84	15.7%
Ashley, PA	2,823	84	15.7%
Glen Lyon, PA	2,991	85	15.5%
Nanticoke, PA	10,607	86	14.4%
Mocanaqua, PA	658	86	14.0%
Plains, PA	4,108	89	10.9%

Cities with similar population

City	Population	Cost of Living Index	National Avg.
Otsego, MI	4,108	90	9.5%
Verona, VA	4,108	100	0.2%
Saint-Anselme, QC	4,108	n/a
Oak Valley, NJ	4,107	105	5.5%
Manchester, GA	4,109	89	11.2%
Plains, PA	4,108	89	10.9%