C2ER Releases Latest Cost of Living Index
29 Aug, 2013
Among the 304 urban areas that participated in the second quarter 2013 Cost of Living Index, the after-tax cost for a professional/managerial standard of living ranged from more than twice the national average in New York (Manhattan) N.Y. to just over 18 percent below the national average in Harlingen, Texas. The Cost of Living Index is published quarterly by C2ER – The Council for Community and Economic Research.
The Cost of Living Index measures regional differences in the cost of consumer goods and services, excluding taxes and non-consumer expenditures, for professional and managerial households in the top income quintile. It is based on more than 90,000 prices covering 60 different items for which prices are collected quarterly by chambers of commerce, economic development organizations, and university applied economic centers in each participating urban area. Small differences should not be interpreted as showing a measurable difference.
The composite index is based on six component categories — housing, utilities, grocery items, transportation, health care, and miscellaneous goods and services.
If you need additional information on the Cost of Living Index or other COLI-related products such as the COLI Web Calculator and the COLI Historical Index, please contact Dean Frutiger at dfrutiger@crec.net or Erol Yildirim at ey@crec.net or by phone at 703-522-4980.
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The Ten Most and Least Expensive Urban Areas in the Cost of Living Index (COLI) Second Quarter 2013 National Average for 304 Urban Areas = 100
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Most Expensive |
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Least Expensive |
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COL |
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COL |
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Ranking |
Urban Areas |
Index |
Ranking |
Urban Areas |
Index |
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1 |
New York (Manhattan) NY |
218.9 |
1 |
Harlingen TX |
81.1 |
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2 |
Honolulu HI |
174.6 |
2 |
Norman OK |
84.2 |
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3 |
New York (Brooklyn) NY |
173.0 |
3 |
Pueblo CO |
84.4 |
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4 |
San Francisco CA |
159.5 |
4 |
Memphis TN |
84.7 |
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5 |
New York (Queens) NY |
153.7 |
5 |
Youngstown-Warren OH |
85.5 |
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6 |
San Jose CA |
152.8 |
6 |
Temple TX |
85.6 |
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7 |
Hilo HI |
148.7 |
7 |
Omaha NE |
85.6 |
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8 |
Stamford CT |
144.8 |
8 |
Jonesboro AR |
85.7 |
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9 |
Orange County CA |
143.8 |
9 |
Sherman-Denison TX |
85.9 |
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10 |
Washington DC |
140.9 |
10 |
Idaho Falls ID |
86.1 |
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Illustration by Nutdanai Apikhomboonwaroot at Free Digital Photos.net
Compiled from C2ER’s press materials.
