Grass Valley, CA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Grass Valley, CA Summary

Cost of living in Grass Valley 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 Grass Valley 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 Grass Valley is 126, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Grass Valley is 1.3x higher than the national average.

  • Grass Valley ranks as the #154 cheapest in California out of 634.

  • Grass Valley ranks as the #4,776 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Grass Valley is $501,454.

  • The median income in Grass Valley is $48,850.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
126
Grass Valley's Overall Cost Of Living
1.3x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Grass Valley, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Grass Valley has an overall cost of living index of 126, which is 1.3x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, Grass Valley has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than California's index of 141.

The standard of living in Grass Valley ranks as #154 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Grass Valley ranks as the #480 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Grass Valley, check out:

154 out of 634
In California
4,776 out of 6,489
In America

Grass Valley Cost Of Living Vs. California

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

  • The Services index in Grass Valley is 109.

  • The Groceries index in Grass Valley is 108.

  • The Health index in Grass Valley is 114.

  • The Housing index in Grass Valley is 164.

  • The Transportation index in Grass Valley is 121.

  • The Utilities index in Grass Valley is 115.

Living Expense Grass Valley California National Average
Overall 126 141 100
Services 109 110 100
Groceries 108 112 100
Health 114 110 100
Housing 164 195 100
Transportation 121 125 100
Utilities 115 128 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Grass Valley Cost of Living Vs. CA

Grass Valley, 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 Grass Valley is $501,454.

  • The Median Rent in Grass Valley is $1,417.

  • The Median Income in Grass Valley is $48,850.

  • The Home Value To Income in Grass Valley is 10.3x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Grass Valley is 0.35x.

Statistic Grass Valley California United States
Median Home Value $501,454 $763,287 $303,400
Median Rent $1,417 $1,956 $1,348
Median Income $48,850 $96,334 $78,538
Home Value To Income 10.3x 7.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.35x 0.24x 0.21x
$501,454
Median Home Value
$1,417
Median Rent
$48,850
Median Income

Grass Valley, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Grass Valley Services Costs Vs. California

Item Grass Valley California
Shampoo $1.44 $1.28
Movie $13.76 $12.13
Bowling $22.22 $18
Haircut $40.0 $24.26
Beauty Salon $60.53 $45.56

Detailed Grass Valley Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Grass Valley California
Ground Beef $5.56 $5.84
Fried Chicken $2.06 $1.57
Milk $4.93 $4.67
Potatoes $4.69 $4.93
Pizza $13.98 $12.09
Beer $10.49 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.67 $3.7

Detailed Grass Valley Health Costs Vs. California

Item Grass Valley California
Optometrist $153.5 $125.68
Doctor $201.43 $135.78
Dentist $115.72 $113.29

Detailed Grass Valley Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Grass Valley California
Gasoline $4.51 $3.46
Tire Balancing $58.67 $59.92

Detailed Grass Valley Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Grass Valley California
All Electricity $238.53 $193.99
Phone $190.81 $192.25

Grass Valley SnackAbility

8
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
8.5
Affordability
3
Diversity
8
Safety
4
Amenities
8.5
Education
8
Commute
9.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Grass Valley

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

  • Folsom, CA has a cost of living index of 157, 1.2x Grass Valley.

  • Rocklin, CA has a cost of living index of 155, 1.2x Grass Valley.

  • El Dorado Hills, CA has a cost of living index of 173, 1.4x Grass Valley.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Grass Valley
Folsom, CA 82,140 157 1.2x
Rocklin, CA 72,340 155 1.2x
El Dorado Hills, CA 50,553 173 1.4x
Antelope, CA 49,080 132 1.0x
Orangevale, CA 35,219 138 1.1x
Fair Oaks, CA 32,030 150 1.2x
Rosemont, CA 23,448 128 1.0x
Granite Bay, CA 21,378 192 1.5x
La Riviera, CA 11,503 125 1.0x
Gold River, CA 7,661 156 1.2x

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