F
20%
Overall NAT. AVG.
9%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
39%
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 Redding California National
Cost of living120140100
Goods & Services109111100
Groceries108112100
Health care113109100
Housing139196100
Transportation121126100
Utilities114127100

An Overview of Cost of Living in Redding, CA

The cost of living in Redding 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 Redding is 120, which is 20% higher than the national average. Knowledge of the cost of living can help individuals make informed decisions about retirement savings, investments, and financial goals.

Housing costs are a major factor in the Redding cost of living index, and they often eat up a big chunk of your take-home pay. Unfortunately, in this area, housing expenses for both homeownership and rentals were 39.3% higher than what's typical in an average city. That includes the prices of homes and rents, as well as mortgage rates and insurance.

Is Redding Affordable?

Is Redding 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 Redding, the median home price is 48.8% higher than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 17.2% higher than the usual rates. Income levels in Redding come in at $56,098, which is 1.4% higher than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Redding?

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.

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 goods and services, it naturally translates into higher expenses. Similarly, a higher income tax rate can also contribute to an overall higher cost of living. In Redding, the standard sales tax rate starts at 7.25%, and the income tax rates commence at 1%.

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.

Where is the Data From?

The Redding 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 Redding is 14% lower than the California average
  • The cost of living in Redding is 20% higher than the national average
  • Redding housing is 39% higher than the national average
  • California general sales tax is 42% higher than the national average
  • California state income tax is 56% lower than the national average

Most Affordable Places to Live in and Around Redding

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Compare Redding, CA Cost of Living

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      Salary Calculator

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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$72,993$6,083$1,703$2,190
      Renters$42,574$3,548$993$1,277
      The percentage of monthly income spent on housing related expenses can help predict the affordability of housing in Redding, CA, 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 Redding, homeowners have a median income of $72,993. Using that number, a maximum of $1,703 per month should be allocated to housing expenses. For those who are renting instead of owning, the median income is $42,574, which means there is a maximum of $993 to be spent on the costs of renting a home or apartment.

      California Sales Tax

      State General Sales Tax With Max Surtax
      California 7.25% 10.5%

      California Income Tax

      State Income Tax (Low) Income Tax (High)
      California 1% 12.3%

      Goods & Services

      Item Redding National avg. Difference
      Haircut $40.00$24.2664.9%
      Beauty Salon $60.53$45.5632.8%
      Toothpaste $3.67$3.701.0%
      Shampoo $1.44$1.2812.5%
      Movie $13.76$12.1313.4%
      Bowling $22.22$18.0023.5%

      Groceries

      Item Redding National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $5.56$5.844.7%
      Fried Chicken $2.06$1.5731.0%
      Milk $4.93$4.675.5%
      Potatoes $4.69$4.935.0%
      Pizza $13.98$12.0915.7%
      Beer $10.49$10.410.8%

      Health Care

      Item Redding National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $153.50$125.6822.1%
      Doctor $201.43$135.7848.3%
      Dentist $115.72$113.292.1%
      Ibuprofen $11.03$10.653.5%
      Lipitor $380.45$468.6018.8%

      Housing

      Item Redding National avg. Difference
      Home Price $274,800.00$184,700.0048.8%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $3,182.68$2,346.6935.6%
      Apartment Rent $1,112.00$949.0017.2%

      Transportation

      Item Redding National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $4.51$3.4630.2%
      Tire Balancing $58.67$59.922.1%

      Utilities

      Item Redding National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $238.53$193.9923.0%
      Phone $190.81$192.250.7%
      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.
      French Gulch, CA4411022.3%
      Mountain Gate, CA7031066.5%
      Anderson, CA10,47911110.6%
      Shasta Lake, CA10,23511211.7%
      Cottonwood, CA5,43511212.2%
      Redding, CA92,02512019.9%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Deltona, FL91,847990.9%
      Livermore, CA91,76319493.9%
      Asheville, NC92,32811313.4%
      Santa Monica, CA91,600264164.0%
      Maple Ridge, BC91,475n/a 
      Redding, CA92,02512019.9%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.