| Index | Stony Brook | New York | National |
| Cost of living | 152 | 121 | 100 |
| Groceries | 104 | 106 | 100 |
| Health care | 107 | 110 | 100 |
| Housing | 251 | 144 | 100 |
| Transportation | 111 | 113 | 100 |
| Utilities | 112 | 112 | 100 |
| Lifestyle & Entertainment | 113 | 111 | 100 |
| Household Items | 105 | 106 | 100 |
| Education & Childcare | 120 | 118 | 100 |
The cost of living in Stony Brook 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 Stony Brook is 152, which is 52% higher than the national average. Knowledge of the cost of living can help individuals make informed decisions about retirement savings, investments, and financial goals.
If affordability is among your top priorities when searching for a new place to live, this area may not be the ideal fit, as the cost of living in Stony Brook is among the most expensive in the United States. Just a minority of areas exhibit a cost of living at least 20% higher than the national average, and unfortunately, Stony Brook falls into this category, which may not align with your goal of finding a budget-friendly living environment.
Housing costs make up a big chunk of the cost of living in Stony Brook, and they usually eat into a large part of your take-home pay. Unfortunately, in this area, both buying a home and renting one costs 151.4% more than the average city. This includes stuff like home prices, rent, mortgage rates, and insurance.
Is Stony Brook affordable? It's a key consideration when pondering a move, as affordability often shapes your choices. The cost of living index (we discussed it earlier), coupled with housing costs and income levels, serves as the cornerstone for determining a location's affordability. Take Stony Brook, for instance, where the median home price falls 160.4% higher than the national average, and monthly rent rates are 130.6% higher than usual. Additionally, median income levels contribute to the equation, with Stony Brook flaunting a median household income of $180,574, 122% higher than the national norm.
Groceries: Grocery costs have continued to increase significantly over the last 2-3 years. In some markets the cost of food has gone up by more than 20% in that period. While other markets have managed to see only a moderate uptick. These food costs can have a major impact on the cost of living in any area. In Stony Brook, the groceries index is 4.2% higher than the national average.
Utilities: As with the prices of anything else, utility costs can exhibit significant variations, contingent on factors like climate, energy source availability, geographic location and state regulations. The expenses associated with electricity, water, heating, and waste disposal can fluctuate, either upward or downward, depending on the particular city or state. In Stony Brook, the utilities index registers 12.2% higher than the national average.
Housing: When there's a high demand for housing in trendy places, it can cause property prices and rental rates to soar, leading to a significantly higher cost of living. Conversely, in less desirable locations, where demand is low, prices tend to decrease, resulting in a more budget-friendly cost of living. In Stony Brook, the housing index is 151.4% higher than the national average.
The cost of living estimates displayed for Stony Brook are modeled using a U.S. average baseline of 100, helping provide a useful comparison of local living expenses. Housing calculations include U.S. Census home price and rental data, while all other values are AI-assisted estimates based on regional cost patterns, climate, transportation, and everyday spending expectations. These values are intended for directional comparisons across cities.
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| Educare index |
| Median Income | Per Year | Per Month | Max Budget (28% DTI) | Max Budget (36% DTI) |
| Owners | $207,864 | $17,322 | $4,850 | $6,237 |
| Renters | $105,508 | $8,792 | $2,462 | $3,166 |
| State | General Sales Tax | With Max Surtax |
| New York | 4% | 8.875% |
| State | Income Tax (Low) | Income Tax (High) |
| New York | 4% | 10.9% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Stony Brook University, NY | 8,775 | 110 | 9.6% |
| Mastic Beach, NY | 16,076 | 121 | 20.8% |
| Middle Island, NY | 11,454 | 124 | 23.6% |
| Wyandanch, NY | 11,925 | 125 | 25.1% |
| Mastic, NY | 15,624 | 125 | 25.0% |
| Stony Brook, NY | 12,162 | 152 | 52.2% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Richfield, WI | 12,159 | 118 | 18.2% |
| South Lyon, MI | 12,155 | 102 | 1.8% |
| Glen Rock, NJ | 12,170 | 173 | 72.9% |
| Wanaque, NJ | 12,174 | 133 | 32.8% |
| Robertsville, NJ | 12,178 | 157 | 56.9% |
| Stony Brook, NY | 12,162 | 152 | 52.2% |
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