Cost of living in Prescott 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 Prescott 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 Prescott is 125, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Prescott is 1.2x higher than the national average.
Prescott ranks as the #71 cheapest in Arizona out of 92.
Prescott ranks as the #4,715 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Prescott is $598,771.
The median income in Prescott is $69,151.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Prescott has an overall cost of living index of 125, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Arizona, Prescott has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than Arizona's index of 102.
The standard of living in Prescott ranks as #71 most affordable out of the 92 places we measured in Arizona. By definition, that implies Prescott ranks as the #21 most expensive place in the Grand Canyon State.
For more reading on life in Prescott, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Prescott. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Prescott is 113.
The Groceries index in Prescott is 105.
The Health index in Prescott is 86.
The Housing index in Prescott is 168.
The Transportation index in Prescott is 106.
The Utilities index in Prescott is 87.
| Living Expense | Prescott | Arizona | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 125 | 102 | 100 | |
| Services | 113 | 102 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 105 | 103 | 100 | |
| Health | 86 | 95 | 100 | |
| Housing | 168 | 99 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 106 | 107 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 87 | 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 Prescott is $598,771.
The Median Rent in Prescott is $1,304.
The Median Income in Prescott is $69,151.
The Home Value To Income in Prescott is 8.7x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Prescott is 0.23x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Prescott. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Prescott Valley, AZ has a cost of living index of 112, 0.9x Prescott.
Chino Valley, AZ has a cost of living index of 112, 0.9x Prescott.
Cottonwood, AZ has a cost of living index of 103, 0.8x Prescott.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Prescott |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prescott Valley, AZ | 48,048 | 112 | 0.9x |
| Chino Valley, AZ | 13,372 | 112 | 0.9x |
| Cottonwood, AZ | 12,547 | 103 | 0.8x |
| Camp Verde, AZ | 12,282 | 102 | 0.8x |
| Sedona, AZ | 9,770 | 146 | 1.2x |
| Wickenburg, AZ | 7,468 | 103 | 0.8x |
| Village of Oak Creek (Big Park), AZ | 6,340 | 138 | 1.1x |
| Williamson, AZ | 6,112 | 132 | 1.1x |