Palmdale, CA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Palmdale, CA Summary

Cost of living in Palmdale 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 Palmdale 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 Palmdale is 130, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Palmdale ranks as the #184 cheapest in California out of 634.

  • Palmdale ranks as the #4,989 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Palmdale is $501,975.

  • The median income in Palmdale is $81,151.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
130
Palmdale's Overall Cost Of Living
1.3x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Palmdale, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Palmdale has an overall cost of living index of 130, which is 1.3x higher than the national index of 100.

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

The standard of living in Palmdale ranks as #184 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Palmdale ranks as the #450 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Palmdale, check out:

184 out of 634
In California
4,989 out of 6,489
In America

Palmdale Cost Of Living Vs. California

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

  • The Services index in Palmdale is 118.

  • The Groceries index in Palmdale is 112.

  • The Health index in Palmdale is 109.

  • The Housing index in Palmdale is 159.

  • The Transportation index in Palmdale is 125.

  • The Utilities index in Palmdale is 111.

Living Expense Palmdale California National Average
Overall 130 141 100
Services 118 110 100
Groceries 112 112 100
Health 109 110 100
Housing 159 195 100
Transportation 125 125 100
Utilities 111 128 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Palmdale Cost of Living Vs. CA

Palmdale, 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 Palmdale is $501,975.

  • The Median Rent in Palmdale is $1,736.

  • The Median Income in Palmdale is $81,151.

  • The Home Value To Income in Palmdale is 6.2x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Palmdale is 0.26x.

Statistic Palmdale California United States
Median Home Value $501,975 $763,287 $303,400
Median Rent $1,736 $1,956 $1,348
Median Income $81,151 $96,334 $78,538
Home Value To Income 6.2x 7.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.26x 0.24x 0.21x
$501,975
Median Home Value
$1,736
Median Rent
$81,151
Median Income

Palmdale, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Palmdale Services Costs Vs. California

Item Palmdale 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 Palmdale Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Palmdale 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 Palmdale Health Costs Vs. California

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

Detailed Palmdale Transportation Costs Vs. California

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

Detailed Palmdale Utilities Costs Vs. California

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

Palmdale SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
6/10
Housing
8.5
Affordability
4
Diversity
9
Safety
6
Amenities
8.5
Education
4
Commute
2

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Palmdale

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

  • Lancaster, CA has a cost of living index of 124, 1.0x Palmdale.

  • Rosamond, CA has a cost of living index of 117, 0.9x Palmdale.

  • Lake Los Angeles, CA has a cost of living index of 112, 0.9x Palmdale.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Palmdale
Lancaster, CA 170,013 124 1.0x
Rosamond, CA 20,835 117 0.9x
Lake Los Angeles, CA 13,479 112 0.9x
Quartz Hill, CA 10,968 128 1.0x
Acton, CA 7,721 159 1.2x

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