Cost of Living Shakeup: How Price Changes Affected U.S. Cities This Year – 2023 Study

[Politic Negro]

To see where the cost of living has gone up the most relative to the national average, SmartAsset compared economic data from the first quarter of 2023 and the first quarter of 2022 for 237 areas.

Key Findings​

• Relative to the U.S. average, New York City and San Francisco costs dropped about 15%. Prices in Manhattan and Brooklyn came down nearly 16% from the previous year, relative to average U.S. costs. In San Francisco, the cost of living fell by more than 14% when compared with the national average, while prices in Chicago dropped 12% during that same time period.

• Miami overtakes Fort Lauderdale as the most expensive Floridian city. Fort Lauderdale had the biggest decrease at 2.7%, relative to Miami’s 1.5% drop. Both cities are roughly 20% more expensive than the average American city, but now Miami slightly outranks Fort Lauderdale. Across Florida, cost of living decreased relative to U.S. average, with a 0.74% average decrease.

• Costs in this Texas city increased most. Relative to the average cost of living, prices in Plano, Texas are up nearly 10 points from 2022. Other places where prices increased most include Kalamazoo, MI and the Hampton Roads area of VA – the cost of living jumped 8.8% and 8.6%, respectively, when compared with the nation at large.

• Harlingen, TX is the most affordable area in the nation. Located on the southern tip of Texas near the U.S.-Mexico border, Harlingen has the lowest cost of living among all 237 areas we evaluated. Harlingen prices are more than 24% lower than the national average.

Where Cost of Living Increased the Most​

Cities are ranked by the percentage change in costs between Q1 2022 and Q1 2023, relative to the U.S. average.

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Rank	Area	2023 Q1 Index	2022 Q1 Index	Change
1	Plano TX	122	112	9.5%
2	Kalamazoo MI	83	74	8.8%
3	Hampton Roads-SE Virginia VA	104	96	8.6%
4	Tulsa OK	92	86	6.1%
5	Terre Haute IN	97	91	6.0%
6	Hutchinson KS	89	83	5.7%
7	Pueblo CO	99	93	5.4%
8	Douglasville-Douglas County GA	95	90	5.0%
9	Grand Rapids MI	97	92	4.8%
10	Jackson MS	85	81	4.7%
11	Champaign-Urbana IL	91	86	4.6%
12	Colorado Springs CO	109	104	4.6%
13	Hattiesburg MS	90	85	4.4%
14	Winchester VA-WV	101	97	4.4%
15	Findlay OH	92	88	4.3%

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Rank	Area	2023 Q1 Index	2022 Q1 Index	Change
15	Waco TX	91	87	4.3%
17	Kankakee IL	90	85	4.3%
18	Martinsville-Henry County VA	88	84	4.2%
19	Evansville IN	94	89	4.1%
19	Anniston-Calhoun County AL	87	83	4.1%
21	Bellingham WA	123	119	4.0%
21	Savannah GA	92	88	4.0%
21	Amarillo TX	87	83	4.0%
24	Midland TX	94	90	3.8%
24	Thomasville-Lexington NC	86	83	3.8%
26	Grand Junction CO	102	98	3.7%
26	Raleigh NC	98	94	3.7%
28	Lincoln NE	93	89	3.7%
29	St. Louis MO-IL	89	85	3.6%
30	Chapel Hill NC	104	101	3.3%

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Rank	Area	2023 Q1 Index	2022 Q1 Index	Change
31	Dubuque IA	92	89	3.3%
32	Fayetteville AR	93	90	3.2%
32	Decatur-Hartselle AL	86	83	3.2%
34	Edmond OK	91	88	3.1%
35	Knoxville TN	87	84	3.0%
36	Tucson AZ	104	102	2.7%
36	Fort Wayne-Allen County IN	92	89	2.7%
36	Dublin-Laurens County GA	87	84	2.7%
36	Muskogee OK	80	77	2.7%
40	Prescott-Prescott Valley AZ	116	113	2.7%
41	Wichita KS	91	88	2.6%
42	Louisville KY	97	94	2.6%
42	Augusta-Aiken GA-SC	86	83	2.6%
44	Cedar Park TX	93	91	2.5%
44	Memphis TN	89	87	2.5%

Rank	Area	2023 Q1 Index	2022 Q1 Index	Change
44	Nacogdoches TX	88	86	2.5%
47	Dayton OH	95	93	2.4%
48	Milwaukee-Waukesha WI	101	99	2.3%
48	San Antonio TX	92	89	2.3%
50	Houston TX	94	92	2.2%
50	Indianapolis IN	93	91	2.2%
50	Lynchburg VA	92	90	2.2%
50	Ardmore OK	85	83	2.2%
54	Cheyenne WY	96	94	2.1%
55	Huntsville AL	92	90	2.1%
56	Columbus OH	91	89	2.0%
57	Denver CO	112	110	1.9%
57	Nashville-Murfreesboro TN	99	97	1.9%
59	Sacramento CA	120	118	1.9%
59	Richmond IN	84	82	1.9%

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Rank	Area	2023 Q1 Index	2022 Q1 Index	Change
61	Dallas TX	103	101	1.8%
61	Baton Rouge LA	98	96	1.8%
61	Omaha NE	94	92	1.8%
61	Enid OK	88	86	1.8%
61	Jackson-Madison County TN	86	84	1.8%
66	Charleston-N Charleston SC	99	98	1.7%
66	Lubbock TX	91	90	1.7%
68	Tyler TX	97	95	1.7%
68	Salina KS	84	82	1.7%
70	Greenville SC	92	90	1.6%
71	Olympia WA	115	113	1.6%
71	Charlotte NC	99	97	1.6%
71	Lake Charles LA	87	85	1.6%
74	Allentown PA	106	105	1.5%
74	Cincinnati OH	98	96	1.5%

Rank	Area	2023 Q1 Index	2022 Q1 Index	Change
74	Montgomery AL	88	87	1.5%
77	Winston-Salem NC	96	94	1.4%
77	Corpus Christi TX	91	89	1.4%
79	Albuquerque NM	94	92	1.4%
80	Cleveland OH	94	93	1.3%
80	Jacksonville FL	95	93	1.3%
82	Buffalo NY	95	94	1.2%
82	Manhattan KS	92	91	1.2%
82	Florence AL	84	83	1.2%
85	Mankato MN	93	91	1.1%
85	Chattanooga TN	93	91	1.1%
87	Roanoke VA	93	92	1.0%
87	Wilkes-Barre PA	93	92	1.0%
89	Fond du Lac WI	90	89	0.9%
89	Tupelo MS	82	81	0.9%

Rank	Area	2023 Q1 Index	2022 Q1 Index	Change
91	Richmond VA	96	95	0.9%
91	Des Moines IA	87	86	0.9%
93	Ames IA	94	93	0.8%
93	Shreveport-Bossier City LA	92	91	0.8%
95	Charlottesville VA	103	102	0.8%
96	Conway AR	83	83	0.7%
97	Oklahoma City OK	85	84	0.7%
98	Blacksburg VA	96	95	0.6%
99	Cape Coral-Fort Myers FL	107	106	0.5%
99	Madison WI	104	103	0.5%
99	Yakima WA	98	98	0.5%
99	Conroe TX	94	94	0.5%
99	Waterloo-Cedar Falls IA	87	87	0.5%
104	Temple TX	93	92	0.2%
104	South Bend IN	87	87	0.2%

Rank	Area	2023 Q1 Index	2022 Q1 Index	Change
106	Reno-Sparks NV	105	105	0.2%
107	Westminster CO	107	107	0.1%
107	Charleston WV	90	90	0.1%
109	Tampa FL	99	99	0.0%
109	Sioux Falls SD	91	91	0.0%
111	Sarasota FL	106	106	−0.1%
111	Burlington IA	87	87	−0.1%
113	Eau Claire WI	98	99	−0.2%
113	Birmingham AL	93	93	−0.2%
113	El Paso TX	88	88	−0.2%
116	Juneau AK	127	128	−0.3%
117	Davenport-Moline-Rock Is IA-IL	88	88	−0.3%
118	Fort Worth TX	94	95	−0.4%
119	Middlesex-Monmouth NJ	114	114	−0.4%
119	Phoenix AZ	104	104	−0.4%

Rank	Area	2023 Q1 Index	2022 Q1 Index	Change
119	Peoria IL	88	89	−0.4%
122	Dothan AL	90	90	−0.5%
123	Bozeman MT	121	122	−0.6%
123	Austin TX	101	102	−0.6%
123	Morgantown WV	91	91	−0.6%
123	Harlingen TX	76	77	−0.6%
127	Bloomington IN	99	99	−0.6%
128	Spokane WA	101	102	−0.7%
128	Hot Springs AR	94	95	−0.7%
128	Spartanburg SC	93	94	−0.7%
128	Great Falls MT	86	87	−0.7%
132	Dalton GA	88	89	−0.8%
133	Bullhead City AZ	90	91	−0.9%
134	Tallahassee FL	94	95	−0.9%
135	Detroit MI	102	103	−1.0%

Rank	Area	2023 Q1 Index	2022 Q1 Index	Change
135	Columbia SC	93	94	−1.0%
135	Wichita Falls TX	91	92	−1.0%
138	Valdosta GA	91	92	−1.1%
139	Meridian MS	85	86	−1.2%
140	Surprise AZ	99	100	−1.2%
141	Scranton PA	93	94	−1.3%
141	Morristown TN	87	88	−1.3%
143	Danville City VA	87	89	−1.4%
144	Kitsap County WA	120	121	−1.4%
145	Fairbanks AK	123	124	−1.5%
145	Miami-Dade County FL	119	120	−1.5%
145	New Orleans LA	110	111	−1.5%
145	Broken Arrow OK	87	89	−1.5%
145	Monroe LA	86	87	−1.5%
145	Pittsburg KS	83	85	−1.5%

Rank	Area	2023 Q1 Index	2022 Q1 Index	Change
151	Orlando FL	102	103	−1.6%
152	Abilene TX	91	92	−1.6%
152	Casper WY	91	92	−1.6%
154	Vero Beach-Indian River FL	93	95	−1.7%
155	Kansas City MO-KS	93	95	−1.9%
156	Odessa TX	91	93	−1.9%
157	Burlington-Chittenden County VT	115	117	−2.0%
157	Flagstaff AZ	113	115	−2.0%
157	Grand Forks ND	91	93	−2.0%
157	Green Bay WI	90	92	−2.0%
157	Springfield MO	85	87	−2.0%
157	Ponca City OK	83	85	−2.0%
163	San Diego CA	143	145	−2.2%
163	Alexandria LA	87	90	−2.2%
165	Pittsburgh PA	98	100	−2.2%

Rank	Area	2023 Q1 Index	2022 Q1 Index	Change
166	Providence RI	111	113	−2.3%
166	Lexington KY	91	93	−2.3%
168	Bergen-Passaic NJ	118	120	−2.3%
169	Kokomo IN	85	87	−2.4%
170	Boston MA	148	151	−2.4%
170	Manchester NH	115	117	−2.4%
172	Bakersfield CA	109	111	−2.5%
172	Wilmington DE	106	108	−2.5%
172	Asheville NC	99	101	−2.5%
172	Lafayette LA	87	90	−2.5%
176	Beaumont TX	94	97	−2.6%
177	Boise ID	106	109	−2.6%
178	Fort Lauderdale FL	118	121	−2.7%
179	Los Angeles-Long Beach CA	149	152	−2.8%
179	Kennewick-Richland-Pasco WA	98	100	−2.8%

Rank	Area	2023 Q1 Index	2022 Q1 Index	Change
181	Thibodaux-Lafourche Parish LA	91	94	−2.9%
182	Jonesboro AR	86	89	−3.1%
183	Dover DE	100	103	−3.2%
184	Auburn-Opelika AL	91	94	−3.3%
185	St. Cloud MN	96	100	−3.4%
185	Decatur IL	78	81	−3.4%
187	Baltimore MD	103	107	−3.5%
188	Portland ME	112	115	−3.6%
189	Minot ND	93	97	−3.6%
190	Atlanta GA	100	104	−3.7%
190	Cedar City UT	94	98	−3.7%
192	Ogden UT	98	102	−3.7%
192	Las Vegas NV	98	101	−3.7%
192	Springfield IL	90	94	−3.7%
195	Sussex County DE	103	106	−3.9%

Rank	Area	2023 Q1 Index	2022 Q1 Index	Change
195	Laramie WY	92	96	−3.9%
197	Salt Lake City UT	107	111	−4.0%
198	Pierre SD	96	100	−4.1%
199	San Juan-Bayamón-Caguas PR	97	101	−4.1%
199	St. Paul MN	94	98	−4.1%
199	Columbia MO	91	95	−4.1%
202	Provo-Orem UT	102	107	−4.3%
203	Mount Vernon-Skagit County WA	117	121	−4.4%
203	Salisbury NC	91	95	−4.4%
203	Las Cruces NM	89	93	−4.4%
206	Orange County CA	150	155	−4.5%
206	Marshfield WI	87	91	−4.5%
208	Bismarck-Mandan ND	96	101	−4.6%
209	Stockton CA	119	124	−4.7%
210	Newark-Elizabeth NJ	118	122	−4.8%

Rank	Area	2023 Q1 Index	2022 Q1 Index	Change
210	Hartford CT	103	108	−4.8%
212	Albany NY	104	108	−4.8%
213	Houma-Terrebonne Parish LA	91	96	−5.0%
214	Philadelphia PA	101	106	−5.1%
215	Stamford CT	128	133	−5.3%
216	Rockford IL	84	90	−5.5%
217	Minneapolis MN	94	100	−5.8%
218	Seattle WA	145	151	−6.2%
219	Portland OR	121	127	−6.7%
220	Arlington VA	140	147	−7.0%
220	Morristown NJ	108	115	−7.0%
222	New Haven CT	109	116	−7.4%
223	Lake Havasu City AZ	126	133	−7.6%
224	Anchorage AK	122	130	−7.8%
225	Modesto CA	112	120	−8.2%

Rank	Area	2023 Q1 Index	2022 Q1 Index	Change
226	Oakland CA	140	149	−9.0%
226	Alexandria VA	135	144	−9.0%
228	New York (Queens) NY	136	146	−9.2%
229	Washington DC	149	159	−10.1%
230	Bethesda-Gaithersburg-Frederick MD	136	146	−10.3%
231	Hastings NE	84	94	−10.4%
232	Chicago IL	114	126	−12.0%
233	Eugene OR	109	123	−13.5%
234	Honolulu HI	179	193	−13.7%
235	San Francisco CA	170	184	−14.3%
236	New York (Manhattan) NY	222	238	−15.8%
236	New York (Brooklyn) NY	159	175	−15.8%

 

[850credit]

Everywhere too high

 

[Politic Negro]

I didn't think Plano would be higher than Sacramento.