Cost of living in Meadow Lakes research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Meadow Lakes is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Alaska, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Meadow Lakes is 120, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Meadow Lakes is 1.2x higher than the national average.
Meadow Lakes ranks as the #3 cheapest in Alaska out of 22.
Meadow Lakes ranks as the #4,411 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Meadow Lakes is $375,669.
The median income in Meadow Lakes is $81,250.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Meadow Lakes has an overall cost of living index of 120, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Alaska, Meadow Lakes has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Alaska's index of 131.
The standard of living in Meadow Lakes ranks as #3 most affordable out of the 22 places we measured in Alaska. By definition, that implies Meadow Lakes ranks as the #19 most expensive place in the Last Frontier.
For more reading on life in Meadow Lakes, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Meadow Lakes. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Meadow Lakes is 118.
The Groceries index in Meadow Lakes is 123.
The Health index in Meadow Lakes is 142.
The Housing index in Meadow Lakes is 124.
The Transportation index in Meadow Lakes is 113.
The Utilities index in Meadow Lakes is 111.
| Living Expense | Meadow Lakes | Alaska | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 120 | 131 | 100 | |
| Services | 118 | 120 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 123 | 123 | 100 | |
| Health | 142 | 150 | 100 | |
| Housing | 124 | 136 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 113 | 116 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 111 | 158 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Alaska, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Meadow Lakes is $375,669.
The Median Rent in Meadow Lakes is $1,308.
The Median Income in Meadow Lakes is $81,250.
The Home Value To Income in Meadow Lakes is 4.6x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Meadow Lakes is 0.19x.
| Statistic | Meadow Lakes | Alaska | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $375,669 | $378,991 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,308 | $1,388 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $81,250 | $89,336 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 4.6x | 4.2x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.19x | 0.19x | 0.21x |
| Item | Meadow Lakes | Alaska |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.31 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $13.19 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $18.08 | $18 |
| Haircut | $28.21 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $47.27 | $45.56 |
| Item | Meadow Lakes | Alaska |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $6.62 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $2.45 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $5.09 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.98 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $12.76 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $13.48 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.81 | $3.7 |
| Item | Meadow Lakes | Alaska |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $247.07 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $215.28 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $153.23 | $113.29 |
| Item | Meadow Lakes | Alaska |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.93 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $65.07 | $59.92 |
| Item | Meadow Lakes | Alaska |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $232.09 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $189.01 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Meadow Lakes. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Knik-Fairview, AK has a cost of living index of 126, 1.1x Meadow Lakes.
Tanaina, AK has a cost of living index of 123, 1.0x Meadow Lakes.
Wasilla, AK has a cost of living index of 123, 1.0x Meadow Lakes.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Meadow Lakes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knik-Fairview, AK | 18,921 | 126 | 1.1x |
| Tanaina, AK | 9,738 | 123 | 1.0x |
| Wasilla, AK | 9,435 | 123 | 1.0x |
| Gateway, AK | 6,716 | 130 | 1.1x |
| Palmer, AK | 6,141 | 116 | 1.0x |