Lakewood, CA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Lakewood, CA Summary

Cost of living in Lakewood 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 Lakewood 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 Lakewood is 164, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Lakewood is 1.6x higher than the national average.

  • Lakewood ranks as the #400 cheapest in California out of 634.

  • Lakewood ranks as the #5,968 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Lakewood is $852,670.

  • The median income in Lakewood is $116,794.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
164
Lakewood's Overall Cost Of Living
1.6x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Lakewood, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Lakewood has an overall cost of living index of 164, which is 1.6x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, Lakewood has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than California's index of 141.

The standard of living in Lakewood ranks as #400 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Lakewood ranks as the #234 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Lakewood, check out:

400 out of 634
In California
5,968 out of 6,489
In America

Lakewood Cost Of Living Vs. California

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

  • The Services index in Lakewood is 113.

  • The Groceries index in Lakewood is 112.

  • The Health index in Lakewood is 101.

  • The Housing index in Lakewood is 285.

  • The Transportation index in Lakewood is 125.

  • The Utilities index in Lakewood is 93.

Living Expense Lakewood California National Average
Overall 164 141 100
Services 113 110 100
Groceries 112 112 100
Health 101 110 100
Housing 285 195 100
Transportation 125 125 100
Utilities 93 128 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Lakewood Cost of Living Vs. CA

Lakewood, 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 Lakewood is $852,670.

  • The Median Rent in Lakewood is $2,324.

  • The Median Income in Lakewood is $116,794.

  • The Home Value To Income in Lakewood is 7.3x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Lakewood is 0.24x.

Statistic Lakewood California United States
Median Home Value $852,670 $763,287 $303,400
Median Rent $2,324 $1,956 $1,348
Median Income $116,794 $96,334 $78,538
Home Value To Income 7.3x 7.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.24x 0.24x 0.21x
$852,670
Median Home Value
$2,324
Median Rent
$116,794
Median Income

Lakewood, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Lakewood Services Costs Vs. California

Item Lakewood California
Shampoo $1.34 $1.28
Movie $11.04 $12.13
Bowling $21.11 $18
Haircut $27.27 $24.26
Beauty Salon $41.78 $45.56

Detailed Lakewood Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Lakewood California
Ground Beef $5.89 $5.84
Fried Chicken $3.49 $1.57
Milk $4.92 $4.67
Potatoes $4.92 $4.93
Pizza $15.31 $12.09
Beer $10.26 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.61 $3.7

Detailed Lakewood Health Costs Vs. California

Item Lakewood California
Optometrist $112.92 $125.68
Doctor $95.5 $135.78
Dentist $117.28 $113.29

Detailed Lakewood Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Lakewood California
Gasoline $4.75 $3.46
Tire Balancing $61.38 $59.92

Detailed Lakewood Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Lakewood California
All Electricity $378.97 $193.99
Phone $180.31 $192.25

Lakewood SnackAbility

7.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
9.5
Affordability
4
Diversity
10
Safety
6
Amenities
10
Education
8
Commute
5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Lakewood

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Lakewood. 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 Lakewood.

  • Norwalk, CA has a cost of living index of 149, 0.9x Lakewood.

  • Bellflower, CA has a cost of living index of 147, 0.9x Lakewood.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Lakewood
Long Beach, CA 458,491 158 1.0x
Norwalk, CA 100,713 149 0.9x
Bellflower, CA 77,396 147 0.9x
Paramount, CA 52,546 140 0.9x
Placentia, CA 52,384 169 1.0x
Cypress, CA 49,531 172 1.0x
Cerritos, CA 48,340 181 1.1x
La Mirada, CA 46,945 163 1.0x
North Tustin, CA 26,038 204 1.2x
West Puente Valley, CA 22,198 151 0.9x

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