F
52%
Overall NAT. AVG.
16%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
137%
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 West Carson California National
Cost of living152140100
Goods & Services116111100
Groceries112112100
Health care108109100
Housing237196100
Transportation124126100
Utilities112127100

An Overview of Cost of Living in West Carson, CA

The cost of living in West Carson 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 West Carson 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 you're in pursuit of an economical living environment, West Carson 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, West Carson falls within this bracket.

Housing costs are a major factor in the West Carson 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 136.7% higher than what's typical in an average city. That includes the prices of homes and rents, as well as mortgage rates and insurance.

Recurring goods and services expenses like haircuts, toothpaste, gym memberships and movie nights are a big part of your spending and make up 33% of the cost of living index. In West Carson, these items will cost you 16.2% more than what most folks pay, making it a bit more expensive to live here.

The substantial and relentless rise in grocery prices definitely warrants some attention. Over the past two years, grocery expenses have escalated by more than 10%. Having said that, the situation in West Carson is even less favorable, with grocery prices here being 12.2% higher than the national average.

Is West Carson Affordable?

Is West Carson 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 West Carson, the median home price is 169.8% higher than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 59.2% higher than the usual rates. Income levels in West Carson come in at $77,195, which is 39.5% higher than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in West Carson?

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 West Carson, the housing index is 136.7% higher than the national average.

Utilities: Similar to the prices of any goods or services, utility expenses can fluctuate widely, contingent on variables such as climate, available energy sources, geographical location and state regulations. Costs associated with electricity, water, heating, and waste disposal can differ in magnitude, depending on the specific city or state. In West Carson, the utilities index registers at 12.4% higher than the national average.

Subsidies: Certain cities or states may institute government subsidies or assistance programs designed to alleviate the financial burdens associated with the cost of living for their residents. These programs encompass a variety 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 farm subsidies. Areas that provide fewer subsidies may see an uptick in their overall cost of living.

Where is the Data From?

The West Carson 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 West Carson is 9% higher than the California average
  • The cost of living in West Carson is 52% higher than the national average
  • West Carson housing is 137% 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 West Carson

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Compare West Carson, CA Cost of Living

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      Salary Calculator

      This is how much you would need to earn in
      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$90,829$7,569$2,119$2,725
      Renters$56,420$4,702$1,316$1,693
      The affordability of the housing market in West Carson, CA 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 West Carson homeowners, the median income is $90,829. This indicates that a monthly maximum of $2,119 should be spent by homeowners on all housing related costs. Renters have a median income of $56,420. This indicates that renters would have a maximum of $1,316 for their rent related monthly costs.

      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 West Carson National avg. Difference
      Haircut $24.67$24.261.7%
      Beauty Salon $49.33$45.568.3%
      Toothpaste $3.76$3.701.5%
      Shampoo $1.41$1.289.8%
      Movie $13.46$12.1311.0%
      Bowling $19.07$18.006.0%

      Groceries

      Item West Carson National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $6.26$5.847.2%
      Fried Chicken $2.08$1.5732.2%
      Milk $4.76$4.671.9%
      Potatoes $4.94$4.930.2%
      Pizza $16.13$12.0933.5%
      Beer $9.60$10.417.8%

      Health Care

      Item West Carson National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $129.09$125.682.7%
      Doctor $119.86$135.7811.7%
      Dentist $108.07$113.294.6%
      Ibuprofen $10.36$10.652.7%
      Lipitor $505.41$468.607.9%

      Housing

      Item West Carson National avg. Difference
      Home Price $498,400.00$184,700.00169.8%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $2,799.02$2,346.6919.3%
      Apartment Rent $1,511.00$949.0059.2%

      Transportation

      Item West Carson National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $4.47$3.4629.3%
      Tire Balancing $58.33$59.922.6%

      Utilities

      Item West Carson National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $326.49$193.9968.3%
      Phone $182.78$192.254.9%
      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.
      Westside, CA21311615.6%
      Vernon, CA24811717.0%
      Willowbrook, CA24,40113333.3%
      Rolling Hills CDP, CA83213433.9%
      Compton, CA95,80413636.2%
      West Carson, CA22,69715251.9%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Machesney Park, IL22,7098910.7%
      Acworth, GA22,6831011.1%
      Griffin, GA22,7249010.2%
      Valinda, CA22,66514746.7%
      New Brighton, MN22,6631088.0%
      West Carson, CA22,69715251.9%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.