Stockton, CA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Stockton, CA Summary

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

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

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

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

  • The median home value in Stockton is $430,816.

  • The median income in Stockton is $76,851.

Table Of Contents

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

What is the cost of living in Stockton, CA?

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

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

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

For more reading on life in Stockton, check out:

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

Stockton Cost Of Living Vs. California

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

  • The Services index in Stockton is 110.

  • The Groceries index in Stockton is 105.

  • The Health index in Stockton is 100.

  • The Housing index in Stockton is 150.

  • The Transportation index in Stockton is 124.

  • The Utilities index in Stockton is 143.

Living Expense Stockton California National Average
Overall 126 141 100
Services 110 110 100
Groceries 105 112 100
Health 100 110 100
Housing 150 195 100
Transportation 124 125 100
Utilities 143 128 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Stockton Cost of Living Vs. CA

Stockton, 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 Stockton is $430,816.

  • The Median Rent in Stockton is $1,495.

  • The Median Income in Stockton is $76,851.

  • The Home Value To Income in Stockton is 5.6x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Stockton is 0.23x.

Statistic Stockton California United States
Median Home Value $430,816 $763,287 $303,400
Median Rent $1,495 $1,956 $1,348
Median Income $76,851 $96,334 $78,538
Home Value To Income 5.6x 7.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.23x 0.24x 0.21x
$430,816
Median Home Value
$1,495
Median Rent
$76,851
Median Income

Stockton, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Stockton Services Costs Vs. California

Item Stockton California
Shampoo $1.5 $1.28
Movie $13.61 $12.13
Bowling $22.34 $18
Haircut $23.42 $24.26
Beauty Salon $49.62 $45.56

Detailed Stockton Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Stockton California
Ground Beef $6.24 $5.84
Fried Chicken $2.1 $1.57
Milk $4.83 $4.67
Potatoes $4.43 $4.93
Pizza $16.78 $12.09
Beer $10.08 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.64 $3.7

Detailed Stockton Health Costs Vs. California

Item Stockton California
Optometrist $138.22 $125.68
Doctor $134.39 $135.78
Dentist $117.52 $113.29

Detailed Stockton Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Stockton California
Gasoline $4.21 $3.46
Tire Balancing $73.1 $59.92

Detailed Stockton Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Stockton California
All Electricity $327.22 $193.99
Phone $189.16 $192.25

Stockton SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
6/10
Housing
8.5
Affordability
4
Diversity
10
Safety
3
Amenities
10
Education
5
Commute
4

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Stockton

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

  • Tracy, CA has a cost of living index of 152, 1.2x Stockton.

  • Manteca, CA has a cost of living index of 141, 1.1x Stockton.

  • Lodi, CA has a cost of living index of 132, 1.0x Stockton.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Stockton
Tracy, CA 95,358 152 1.2x
Manteca, CA 86,521 141 1.1x
Lodi, CA 67,008 132 1.0x
Lincoln, CA 51,629 147 1.2x
Lathrop, CA 32,696 142 1.1x
Mountain House, CA 25,108 178 1.4x
Ripon, CA 16,117 147 1.2x
Discovery Bay, CA 15,243 177 1.4x
Garden Acres, CA 10,417 111 0.9x
Country Club, CA 10,017 119 0.9x

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