| Index | Surf City | New Jersey | National | 
| Cost of living | 170 | 121 | 100 | 
| Goods & Services | 103 | 106 | 100 | 
| Groceries | 102 | 102 | 100 | 
| Health care | 94 | 99 | 100 | 
| Housing | 326 | 158 | 100 | 
| Transportation | 107 | 103 | 100 | 
| Utilities | 110 | 107 | 100 | 

				
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				| Cost of living index | |
| Goods & Services index | |
| Groceries index | |
| Health care index | |
| Housing index | |
| Transportation index | |
| Utilities index | 
| Median Income | Per Year | Per Month | Max Budget (28% DTI) | Max Budget (36% DTI) | 
| Owners | $97,042 | $8,087 | $2,264 | $2,912 | 
| Renters | $68,500 | $5,708 | $1,598 | $2,055 | 
| State | General Sales Tax | With Max Surtax | 
| New Jersey | 6.625% | 12.625% | 
| State | Income Tax (Low) | Income Tax (High) | 
| New Jersey | 1.4% | 10.75% | 
| Item | Surf City | National avg. | Difference | 
| Haircut | $23.54 | $24.26 | 3.0% | 
| Beauty Salon | $66.27 | $45.56 | 45.4% | 
| Toothpaste | $3.65 | $3.70 | 1.5% | 
| Shampoo | $1.52 | $1.28 | 18.4% | 
| Movie | $13.75 | $12.13 | 13.3% | 
| Bowling | $19.47 | $18.00 | 8.1% | 
| Item | Surf City | National avg. | Difference | 
| Ground Beef | $5.76 | $5.84 | 1.3% | 
| Fried Chicken | $1.46 | $1.57 | 7.4% | 
| Milk | $4.67 | $4.67 | 0.0% | 
| Potatoes | $5.37 | $4.93 | 8.8% | 
| Pizza | $11.73 | $12.09 | 2.9% | 
| Beer | $11.99 | $10.41 | 15.2% | 
| Item | Surf City | National avg. | Difference | 
| Optometrist | $123.50 | $125.68 | 1.7% | 
| Doctor | $132.56 | $135.78 | 2.4% | 
| Dentist | $103.31 | $113.29 | 8.8% | 
| Ibuprofen | $11.22 | $10.65 | 5.3% | 
| Lipitor | $398.10 | $468.60 | 15.0% | 
| Item | Surf City | National avg. | Difference | 
| Home Price | $742,000.00 | $184,700.00 | 301.7% | 
| Avg. Mortgage Payment | $2,169.88 | $2,346.69 | 7.5% | 
| Apartment Rent | $1,404.00 | $949.00 | 47.9% | 
| Item | Surf City | National avg. | Difference | 
| Gasoline | $3.53 | $3.46 | 2.0% | 
| Tire Balancing | $70.89 | $59.92 | 18.3% | 
| Item | Surf City | National avg. | Difference | 
| All Electricity | $222.45 | $193.99 | 14.7% | 
| Phone | $198.27 | $192.25 | 3.1% | 
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. | 
| Mystic Island, NJ | 8,296 | 110 | 9.8% | 
| Tuckerton, NJ | 3,373 | 112 | 12.3% | 
| Manahawkin, NJ | 1,957 | 120 | 20.2% | 
| Barnegat, NJ | 3,630 | 121 | 20.6% | 
| Ocean Acres, NJ | 17,325 | 121 | 20.8% | 
| Surf City, NJ | 1,260 | 170 | 70.3% | 
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. | 
| Sanford, CO | 1,260 | 87 | 13.3% | 
| Houston, PA | 1,260 | 96 | 4.0% | 
| Ardmore, TN | 1,260 | 89 | 11.1% | 
| New London, TX | 1,260 | 91 | 8.6% | 
| Cambridge, WI | 1,260 | 107 | 7.3% | 
| Surf City, NJ | 1,260 | 170 | 70.3% |