F
61%
Overall NAT. AVG.
7%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
195%
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 Western Springs Illinois National
Cost of living16196100
Goods & Services10797100
Groceries10498100
Health care10895100
Housing29595100
Transportation107103100
Utilities8989100

An Overview of Cost of Living in Western Springs, IL

The cost of living in Western Springs 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 Western Springs is 161, which is 61% 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, Western Springs 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, Western Springs falls within this bracket.

Housing costs make up a big chunk of the cost of living in Western Springs, 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 195.4% more than the average city. This includes stuff like home prices, rent, mortgage rates, and insurance.

Is Western Springs Affordable?

Is Western Springs affordable? This is a pivotal question, especially when mulling over a move, as affordability carries substantial weight in your decision-making process. Factors such as the cost of living index (discussed earlier), housing expenses and income levels all contribute to a location's affordability. For instance, in Western Springs, the median home price is 230% higher than the national average and monthly rent prices are 114.5% higher than the typical rates. Additionally, the median income levels play a role in affordability, with Western Springs boasting a median household income of $184,412, 233.3% higher than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Western Springs?

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 Western Springs, the groceries index is 3.5% higher than the national average.

Utilities: Similar to the prices of any other goods or services, utility expenditures can exhibit substantial variability, influenced by factors such as climate, energy sources accessibility, geographical location and state regulations. Costs related to electricity, water, heating, and waste disposal can fluctuate, whether higher or lower, contingent on the city or state. In Western Springs, the utilities index is 10.8% lower 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 Western Springs 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 Western Springs is 68% higher than the Illinois average
  • The cost of living in Western Springs is 61% higher than the national average
  • Western Springs housing is 195% higher than the national average
  • Illinois general sales tax is 22% higher than the national average
  • Illinois state income tax is 119% higher than the national average

Most Affordable Places to Live in and Around Western Springs

See all the best places to live around Western Springs

Compare Western Springs, IL 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$188,200$15,683$4,391$5,647
      Renters$54,444$4,537$1,270$1,633
      To approximate the cost of living and the housing affordability in Western Springs, IL, we can look at the percentage of income that is available to be spent on monthly housing, otherwise known as the debt-to-income ratio (DTI). To stay on the safe side, a consumer should not spend more than 28% of his or her gross income on housing-related expenses and costs and not more than 36% of income on all expenses and debts. Homeowners in Western Springs have a median income of $188,200. Therefore, the amount that a consumer should spend on housing costs should be no more than $4,391 per month to avoid calamity and poverty. The renters in the city have an income of about $54,444, which would make their monthly maximum allowable rental costs $1,270.

      Illinois Sales Tax

      State General Sales Tax With Max Surtax
      Illinois 6.25% 10.25%

      Illinois Income Tax

      State Income Tax (Low) Income Tax (High)
      Illinois 4.95% 4.95%

      Goods & Services

      Item Western Springs National avg. Difference
      Haircut $33.69$24.2638.9%
      Beauty Salon $53.44$45.5617.3%
      Toothpaste $3.75$3.701.4%
      Shampoo $1.27$1.281.1%
      Movie $17.91$12.1347.6%
      Bowling $24.58$18.0036.6%

      Groceries

      Item Western Springs National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $5.28$5.849.5%
      Fried Chicken $1.42$1.579.7%
      Milk $4.87$4.674.3%
      Potatoes $4.90$4.930.7%
      Pizza $13.41$12.0910.9%
      Beer $10.00$10.414.0%

      Health Care

      Item Western Springs National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $118.27$125.685.9%
      Doctor $167.67$135.7823.5%
      Dentist $128.22$113.2913.2%
      Ibuprofen $10.97$10.652.9%
      Lipitor $382.34$468.6018.4%

      Housing

      Item Western Springs National avg. Difference
      Home Price $609,600.00$184,700.00230.0%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $2,578.06$2,346.699.9%
      Apartment Rent $2,036.00$949.00114.5%

      Transportation

      Item Western Springs National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $3.56$3.462.7%
      Tire Balancing $70.87$59.9218.3%

      Utilities

      Item Western Springs National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $148.58$193.9923.4%
      Phone $210.03$192.259.3%
      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.
      Hodgkins, IL1,7538514.6%
      Phoenix, IL1,4028812.0%
      Dixmoor, IL3,5709010.2%
      Harvey, IL24,2959010.1%
      Hometown, IL4,216919.0%
      Western Springs, IL13,24716161.3%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Bedford, IN13,2468811.6%
      Shorewood, WI13,24812020.3%
      McFarland, CA13,2441109.6%
      Richmond Hill, GA13,2501077.2%
      Bellefontaine, OH13,250946.5%
      Western Springs, IL13,24716161.3%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.