Yahoo Finance 20 US Cities With Livability Scores Above 85: How Much Does It Cost To Live in Each?
The high cost of living in the U.S. is a serious problem, and depending on where you’re located, you may bear the brunt more intensely than people in other cities. It’s troubling and makes you wonder whether you’re getting the quality of life you deserve for the money you pay.
Here’s where “livability” comes into play. Livability is, according to Partners for Livable Communities, “the sum of the factors that add up to a community’s quality of life — including the built and natural environments, economic prosperity, social stability and equity, educational opportunity, and cultural, entertainment and recreation possibilities.”
With all that in mind, we must ask, “Which are the most livable cities, and how much does it cost to live in each?”
In a new study, GOBankingRates analyzed 20 cities with a livability of 85 or higher to find the cost of living in each place. First GOBankingRates found cities with a livability of 85 or higher as sourced from AreaVibes, and then sourced other data to find household median income, average monthly mortgage cost, average monthly expenditure cost and total cost of living monthly. To qualify for this study each city had to have all data available and have a population of at least 100,000.
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Daly City, California
Household median income: $114,910
Average monthly mortgage cost: $7,086
Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,449
Total cost of living monthly: $9,535
Livability score: 85
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West Palm Beach, Florida
Household median income: $64,044
Average monthly mortgage cost: $2,754
Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,188
Total cost of living monthly: $4,942
Livability score: 85
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Provo, Utah
Household median income: $57,943
Average monthly mortgage cost: $2,938
Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,018
Total cost of living monthly: $4,956
Livability score: 85
Tallahassee, Florida
Household median income: $52,899
Average monthly mortgage cost: $1,777
Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,065
Total cost of living monthly: $3,841
Livability score: 85
Brandon, Florida
Household median income: $71,156
Average monthly mortgage cost: $2,182
Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,104
Total cost of living monthly: $4,286
Livability score: 85
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Metairie, Louisiana
Household median income: $72,070
Average monthly mortgage cost: $1,737
Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,065
Total cost of living monthly: $3,802
Livability score: 85
Denton, Texas
Household median income: $71,921
Average monthly mortgage cost: $2,168
Average monthly expenditure cost: $1,940
Total cost of living monthly: $4,108
Livability score: 85
Arvada, Colorado
Household median income: $106,014
Average monthly mortgage cost: $3,733
Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,061
Total cost of living monthly: $5,795
Livability score: 85
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Spokane Valley, Washington
Household median income: $66,483
Average monthly mortgage cost: $2,411
Average monthly expenditure cost: $1,822
Total cost of living monthly: $4,233
Livability score: 85
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Household median income: $71,785
Average monthly mortgage cost: $1,927
Average monthly expenditure cost: $1,853
Total cost of living monthly: $3,780
Livability score: 85
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Household median income: $121,539
Average monthly mortgage cost: $10,498
Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,576
Total cost of living monthly: $13,074
Livability score: 86
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Saint Petersburg, Florida
Household median income: $70,333
Average monthly mortgage cost: $2,360
Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,058
Total cost of living monthly: $4,419
Livability score: 86
Arlington, Virginia
Household median income: $137,387
Average monthly mortgage cost: $5,973
Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,244
Total cost of living monthly: $8,217
Livability score: 86
Bellevue, Washington
Household median income: $149,551
Average monthly mortgage cost: $9,905
Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,104
Total cost of living monthly: $12,009
Livability score: 87
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Lexington, Kentucky
Household median income: $66,087
Average monthly mortgage cost: $1,815
Average monthly expenditure cost: $1,883
Total cost of living monthly: $3,699
Livability score: 87
Hillsboro, Oregon
Household median income: $98,891
Average monthly mortgage cost: $3,250
Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,062
Total cost of living monthly: $5,312
Livability score: 88
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Household median income: $78,546
Average monthly mortgage cost: $3,273
Average monthly expenditure cost: $1,948
Total cost of living monthly: $5,221
Livability score: 89
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Gilbert, Arizona
Household median income: $115,179
Average monthly mortgage cost: $3,437
Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,076
Total cost of living monthly: $5,513
Livability score: 89
Cary, North Carolina
Household median income: $125,317
Average monthly mortgage cost: $3,765
Average monthly expenditure cost: $1,915
Total cost of living monthly: $5,681
Livability score: 90
Rochester, Minnesota
In Maine, the minimum cash wage payment is $13.80 per hour. For tipped employees who earn
Household median income: $83,973
Average monthly mortgage cost: $1,957
Average monthly expenditure cost: $1,829
Total cost of living monthly: $3,786
Livability score: 92
Methodology. For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed cities with a livability of 75 or higher to find the cost of living in each place. First GOBankingRates found cities with a livability of 75 or higher as sourced from AreaVibes. To qualify for this study each city had to have all data available and have a population of at least 100,000. For each city a number of factors were found including; total population, population ages 65 and over, total households, household median income all sourced from the US Census American Community Survey, the cost of living indexes as sourced from Sperlings BestPlaces, and the average single family home value from June 2024 as sourced from Zillow Home Value Index. Using the cost of living indexes and using the national average expenditure cost for all residents, as sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey, the average expenditure cost for each city can be calculated. Using the average single family home value, assuming a 10% downpayment, and using the national average 30-year fixed mortgage rate, as sourced from the Federal Reserve Economic Data, the average mortgage cost can be calculated. Using the average mortgage and average expenditure costs, the total cost of living can be calculated. The livability index was scored, the household median income was scored, the average expenditure cost was scored, and the average mortgage cost was scored. All the scores were summed and sorted to show the best cities with lower cost of living and with a livability of at least 75. All data was collected on and is up to date as of July 23rd, 2024.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 20 US Cities With Livability Scores Above 85: How Much Does It Cost To Live in Each?
