F
60%
Overall NAT. AVG.
7%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
184%
Housing NAT. AVG.
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Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.
The cost of living index is based on a national average of 100. For example, if the cost of living is 90, then it is 10% lower than average. If the cost of living is 110, then it is 10% higher than average. The breakdown for each index is as follows: goods & services (33%), groceries (13%), health care (5%), housing (30%), transportation (9%) and utilities (10%). If the cost of living data was unavailable for this city, estimates based upon nearby cities were used.
Index Ramsey New Jersey National
Cost of living160121100
Goods & Services107106100
Groceries102102100
Health care9699100
Housing284158100
Transportation108103100
Utilities111107100

An Overview of Cost of Living in Ramsey, NJ

Understanding the cost of living in Ramsey can help future residents assess whether their current financial situation aligns with the expenses they will encounter. It enables them to plan for potential changes in their budget and lifestyle. The Ramsey cost of living index is 160, which is 60% higher than the national average. The cost of living index is calculated by taking into account multiple categories, which encompass both the cost of everyday expenditures and larger expenses as well.

If you're in pursuit of an economical living environment, Ramsey 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, Ramsey falls within this bracket.

Housing costs significantly influence the Ramsey cost of living index, typically accounting for a substantial portion of one's post-tax income. Regrettably, within this particular region, expenses related to both residential ownership and renting exceeded those observed in an average city by 184.3%. This entails elements such as housing and rental prices, mortgage interest rates and insurance costs.

Is Ramsey Affordable?

Wondering if Ramsey is affordable? It's a question that often comes up when you're thinking about a new city since affordability can really shape your decisions. The cost of living index (covered earlier), housing expenses and income levels all play a part in the affordability equation. In Ramsey, for example, the median home price is 227.9% higher than what folks pay nationally, and monthly rent is 82.6% higher than the usual rates. Plus, income levels matter too, with Ramsey boasting a median household income of $156,058, which is 182.1% higher than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Ramsey?

Groceries: The costs associated with groceries have witnessed substantial increases over the past 2-3 years. In select markets, food prices have escalated by more than 20% during this timeframe, whereas others have seen more restrained upticks. The variances in food expenses can exert a considerable influence on the overall cost of living in a given locale. In Ramsey, the groceries index is 2.1% 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 Ramsey, the utilities index is 10.7% higher than the national average.

Healthcare: The costs associated with healthcare and insurance premiums can exhibit notable disparities based on the city or state of residence. Access to healthcare facilities, out-of-pocket expenses for medical appointments, dental care charges, prescription medication costs and specialized medical care expenses all contribute to variations in the cost of living. In Ramsey, healthcare costs are 4.1% lower than the national average.

Where is the Data From?

The Ramsey cost of living data displayed above is derived from the C2ER cost of living index to provide a useful and reasonably accurate measure of living cost differences in urban areas. The index takes into account data from 300 independent researches, covering more than 60 goods and services across 6 different categories, to create an overall index for each area, with 100 being the average. The C2ER index does not include sales or income tax rates in their data, however AreaVibes does include both income and sales tax rates in the overall cost of living score for each area.

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Cost Of Living Quick Facts

  • The cost of living in Ramsey is 32% higher than the New Jersey average
  • The cost of living in Ramsey is 60% higher than the national average
  • Ramsey housing is 184% higher than the national average
  • New Jersey general sales tax is 30% higher than the national average
  • New Jersey state income tax is 46% lower than the national average

Most Affordable Places to Live in and Around Ramsey

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Compare Ramsey, NJ Cost of Living

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      Price difference in compared to
      Cost of living index
      Goods & Services index
      Groceries index
      Health care index
      Housing index
      Transportation index
      Utilities index

      Median Income & Debt-To-Income Ratio

      Median Income Per Year Per Month Max Budget (28% DTI) Max Budget (36% DTI)
      Owners$167,151$13,929$3,900$5,015
      Renters$71,865$5,989$1,677$2,156
      The affordability of the housing market in Ramsey, NJ as well as the overall cost of living can be predicted by what percent of the monthly income is spent on housing related costs. This is konwn as the debt-to-income ratio (DTI). The overall rule of thumb is that no more than 28% of your gross income should be spent on the overall costs related to housing and no more than 36% of gross income on all expenses and debts. Among Ramsey homeowners, the median income is $167,151. This indicates that a monthly maximum of $3,900 should be spent by homeowners on all housing related costs. Renters have a median income of $71,865. This indicates that renters would have a maximum of $1,677 for their rent related monthly costs.

      New Jersey Sales Tax

      State General Sales Tax With Max Surtax
      New Jersey 6.625% 12.625%

      New Jersey Income Tax

      State Income Tax (Low) Income Tax (High)
      New Jersey 1.4% 10.75%

      Goods & Services

      Item Ramsey National avg. Difference
      Haircut $25.62$24.265.6%
      Beauty Salon $41.67$45.568.6%
      Toothpaste $3.72$3.700.4%
      Shampoo $1.48$1.2815.6%
      Movie $15.78$12.1330.1%
      Bowling $21.00$18.0016.7%

      Groceries

      Item Ramsey National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $5.65$5.843.3%
      Fried Chicken $1.39$1.5711.4%
      Milk $4.71$4.670.7%
      Potatoes $5.37$4.938.8%
      Pizza $11.49$12.094.9%
      Beer $11.33$10.418.8%

      Health Care

      Item Ramsey National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $157.11$125.6825.0%
      Doctor $115.59$135.7814.9%
      Dentist $124.27$113.299.7%
      Ibuprofen $11.15$10.654.6%
      Lipitor $451.73$468.603.6%

      Housing

      Item Ramsey National avg. Difference
      Home Price $605,600.00$184,700.00227.9%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $3,568.94$2,346.6952.1%
      Apartment Rent $1,733.00$949.0082.6%

      Transportation

      Item Ramsey National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $3.41$3.461.4%
      Tire Balancing $82.67$59.9238.0%

      Utilities

      Item Ramsey National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $236.04$193.9921.7%
      Phone $186.61$192.252.9%
      Although the cost of living data is updated regularly, this cost of living information is to be used as estimates only as prices can change on an ongoing basis.

      Nearby cities with low cost of living

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Greenwood Lake, NY3,0801109.8%
      Paterson, NJ145,48411515.3%
      Mount Ivy, NY7,39012221.6%
      Haverstraw, NY12,07612322.7%
      West Haverstraw, NY10,22012323.1%
      Ramsey, NJ14,91516059.7%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      St. Clair, ON14,919n/a 
      Kerman, CA14,92011414.1%
      Susanville, CA14,9221000.2%
      Jackson, MO14,893946.1%
      Greeneville, TN14,9388713.0%
      Ramsey, NJ14,91516059.7%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.