| Index | West Covina | California | National |
| Cost of living | 165 | 141 | 100 |
| Groceries | 111 | 111 | 100 |
| Health care | 118 | 116 | 100 |
| Housing | 275 | 197 | 100 |
| Transportation | 122 | 118 | 100 |
| Utilities | 119 | 119 | 100 |
| Lifestyle & Entertainment | 119 | 120 | 100 |
| Household Items | 109 | 111 | 100 |
| Education & Childcare | 126 | 127 | 100 |
Getting a feel for the cost of living in West Covina is essential for anyone planning to relocate, as it empowers them to make informed financial decisions, secure a comfortable lifestyle and maintain financial stability in their new environment. The cost of living in West Covina is 165, which is 65% higher than the national average. Relocating individuals may need to adjust their savings and investment strategies based on the cost of living in the new location. It influences decisions about retirement planning, 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 West Covina 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, West Covina 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 West Covina, 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 175% more than the average city. This includes stuff like home prices, rent, mortgage rates, and insurance.
The cost of groceries continues to rise at an alarming rate. Over the last two years, grocery prices have increased by more than 10%! Unfortunately, in West Covina, the news isn't any better as grocery prices are 11.3% higher than the national average.
Locals have the inside scoop on their city. So, we polled 5 residents in West Covina to learn how they view the cost of living. We asked how they felt about the cost of living in their area, and if they thought that prices were increasing, decreasing or staying the same. The verdict? 60% find it reasonable with decreasing prices, but 40% think it's quite pricey, with prices that continue to rise.
Is West Covina 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 West Covina, for instance, where the median home price falls 213.6% higher than the national average, and monthly rent rates are 84.9% higher than usual. Additionally, median income levels contribute to the equation, with West Covina flaunting a median household income of $125,608, 54.4% higher than the national norm.
Taxes: Cities that enforce higher taxes, covering both sales taxes and income taxes, can be a factor contributing to a higher cost of living. Paying more in taxes for everyday essentials like clothing and food inevitably leads to higher expenses. A higher income tax rate can further contribute to an overall elevated cost of living. In West Covina, the baseline sales tax rate begins at 7.25%, and income tax rates start at 1%.
Transportation: If public transportation is limited or not available, residents may need to own and maintain vehicles, which can add to the cost of living. Gas, insurance, regular maintenance and potentially lease or finance payments will all need to be paid on a monthly basis. In West Covina, the transportation index is 22.2% higher than the national average.
Subsidies: Some areas might offer government subsidies or assistance programs that help lower cost of living for residents. These programs can include anything from 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 crop subsidies. Areas that offer less subsidies, could see an increase in their cost of living.
The West Covina cost of living data above is designed around a U.S. average baseline of 100, allowing for easy comparisons of relative living costs. Housing incorporates U.S. Census home price and rental data, while all other figures are AI-assisted estimates that account for regional price trends, climate, transportation dynamics, and common everyday expenses. These values are best used as directional city-to-city comparisons.
| Cost of living index | |
| Groceries index | |
| Health care index | |
| Housing index | |
| Transportation index | |
| Utilities index | |
| Lifestyle index | |
| Household index | |
| Educare index |
| Median Income | Per Year | Per Month | Max Budget (28% DTI) | Max Budget (36% DTI) |
| Owners | $155,647 | $12,971 | $3,632 | $4,670 |
| Renters | $88,320 | $7,360 | $2,061 | $2,650 |
| State | General Sales Tax | With Max Surtax |
| California | 7.25% | 10.5% |
| State | Income Tax (Low) | Income Tax (High) |
| California | 1% | 13.3% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Industry, CA | 269 | 137 | 37.1% |
| Montclair, CA | 41,014 | 139 | 38.5% |
| Commerce, CA | 13,066 | 139 | 38.8% |
| Bell Gardens, CA | 42,827 | 139 | 39.0% |
| Paramount, CA | 55,175 | 141 | 40.7% |
| West Covina, CA | 109,502 | 165 | 64.6% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Davie, FL | 109,448 | 126 | 26.1% |
| St. John's, NL | 109,566 | n/a | |
| Santa Maria, CA | 109,248 | 138 | 37.8% |
| Tyler, TX | 109,766 | 97 | 2.7% |
| San Tan Valley, AZ | 108,601 | 113 | 12.9% |
| West Covina, CA | 109,502 | 165 | 64.6% |
Here are the best places to live in California
Most Dangerous States In The US
Check out the 10 safest cities in California
Safest Cities In The US