Cost of living in Cave Creek 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 Cave Creek is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Arizona, 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 Cave Creek is 129, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Cave Creek is 1.3x higher than the national average.
Cave Creek ranks as the #76 cheapest in Arizona out of 92.
Cave Creek ranks as the #4,942 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Cave Creek is $1,027,286.
The median income in Cave Creek is $102,589.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Cave Creek has an overall cost of living index of 129, which is 1.3x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Arizona, Cave Creek has a cost of living index that's 1.3x higher than Arizona's index of 102.
The standard of living in Cave Creek ranks as #76 most affordable out of the 92 places we measured in Arizona. By definition, that implies Cave Creek ranks as the #16 most expensive place in the Grand Canyon State.
For more reading on life in Cave Creek, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Cave Creek. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Cave Creek is 103.
The Groceries index in Cave Creek is 97.
The Health index in Cave Creek is 89.
The Housing index in Cave Creek is 181.
The Transportation index in Cave Creek is 96.
The Utilities index in Cave Creek is 122.
| Living Expense | Cave Creek | Arizona | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 129 | 102 | 100 | |
| Services | 103 | 102 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 97 | 103 | 100 | |
| Health | 89 | 95 | 100 | |
| Housing | 181 | 99 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 96 | 107 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 122 | 96 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Arizona, 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 Cave Creek is $1,027,286.
The Median Rent in Cave Creek is $2,096.
The Median Income in Cave Creek is $102,589.
The Home Value To Income in Cave Creek is 10.0x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Cave Creek is 0.25x.
| Statistic | Cave Creek | Arizona | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $1,027,286 | $422,479 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $2,096 | $1,431 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $102,589 | $76,872 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 10.0x | 5.5x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.25x | 0.22x | 0.21x |
| Item | Cave Creek | Arizona |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.39 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $9.96 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $15.56 | $18 |
| Haircut | $26.78 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $54.44 | $45.56 |
| Item | Cave Creek | Arizona |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $6.08 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.47 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.91 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.66 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $13.34 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $11.24 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.44 | $3.7 |
| Item | Cave Creek | Arizona |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $102.06 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $93.86 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $100.07 | $113.29 |
| Item | Cave Creek | Arizona |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.66 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $61.78 | $59.92 |
| Item | Cave Creek | Arizona |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $147.32 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $190.63 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Cave Creek. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Phoenix, AZ has a cost of living index of 107, 0.8x Cave Creek.
Scottsdale, AZ has a cost of living index of 136, 1.1x Cave Creek.
Peoria, AZ has a cost of living index of 117, 0.9x Cave Creek.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Cave Creek |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix, AZ | 1,624,832 | 107 | 0.8x |
| Scottsdale, AZ | 242,169 | 136 | 1.1x |
| Peoria, AZ | 194,338 | 117 | 0.9x |
| Fountain Hills, AZ | 23,768 | 137 | 1.1x |
| Anthem, AZ | 22,622 | 128 | 1.0x |
| New River, AZ | 18,365 | 133 | 1.0x |
| Paradise Valley, AZ | 12,621 | 286 | 2.2x |