Carson, CA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Carson, CA Summary

Cost of living in Carson 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 Carson is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in California, 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 Carson is 153, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Carson is 1.5x higher than the national average.

  • Carson ranks as the #334 cheapest in California out of 634.

  • Carson ranks as the #5,771 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Carson is $777,291.

  • The median income in Carson is $107,391.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
153
Carson's Overall Cost Of Living
1.5x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Carson, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Carson has an overall cost of living index of 153, which is 1.5x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, Carson has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than California's index of 141.

The standard of living in Carson ranks as #334 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Carson ranks as the #300 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Carson, check out:

334 out of 634
In California
5,771 out of 6,489
In America

Carson Cost Of Living Vs. California

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Carson. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Carson is 114.

  • The Groceries index in Carson is 112.

  • The Health index in Carson is 109.

  • The Housing index in Carson is 239.

  • The Transportation index in Carson is 125.

  • The Utilities index in Carson is 113.

Living Expense Carson California National Average
Overall 153 141 100
Services 114 110 100
Groceries 112 112 100
Health 109 110 100
Housing 239 195 100
Transportation 125 125 100
Utilities 113 128 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Carson Cost of Living Vs. CA

Carson, CA Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in California, 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 Carson is $777,291.

  • The Median Rent in Carson is $1,914.

  • The Median Income in Carson is $107,391.

  • The Home Value To Income in Carson is 7.2x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Carson is 0.21x.

Statistic Carson California United States
Median Home Value $777,291 $763,287 $303,400
Median Rent $1,914 $1,956 $1,348
Median Income $107,391 $96,334 $78,538
Home Value To Income 7.2x 7.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.21x 0.24x 0.21x
$777,291
Median Home Value
$1,914
Median Rent
$107,391
Median Income

Carson, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Carson Services Costs Vs. California

Item Carson California
Shampoo $1.41 $1.28
Movie $13.46 $12.13
Bowling $19.07 $18
Haircut $24.67 $24.26
Beauty Salon $49.33 $45.56

Detailed Carson Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Carson California
Ground Beef $6.26 $5.84
Fried Chicken $2.08 $1.57
Milk $4.76 $4.67
Potatoes $4.94 $4.93
Pizza $16.13 $12.09
Beer $9.6 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.76 $3.7

Detailed Carson Health Costs Vs. California

Item Carson California
Optometrist $129.09 $125.68
Doctor $119.86 $135.78
Dentist $108.07 $113.29

Detailed Carson Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Carson California
Gasoline $4.47 $3.46
Tire Balancing $58.33 $59.92

Detailed Carson Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Carson California
All Electricity $326.49 $193.99
Phone $182.78 $192.25

Carson SnackAbility

8
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
9
Affordability
4
Diversity
10
Safety
5
Amenities
10
Education
6
Commute
6

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Carson

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Carson. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Long Beach, CA has a cost of living index of 158, 1.0x Carson.

  • Torrance, CA has a cost of living index of 190, 1.2x Carson.

  • Compton, CA has a cost of living index of 137, 0.9x Carson.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Carson
Long Beach, CA 458,491 158 1.0x
Torrance, CA 143,499 190 1.2x
Compton, CA 93,525 137 0.9x
Lakewood, CA 80,510 164 1.1x
Gardena, CA 59,765 153 1.0x
Fountain Valley, CA 56,358 186 1.2x
Cypress, CA 49,531 172 1.1x
Cerritos, CA 48,340 181 1.2x
La Mirada, CA 46,945 163 1.1x
West Rancho Dominguez, CA 22,560 139 0.9x

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