Valley Center, CA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In Valley Center, CA Summary

Cost of living in Valley Center 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 Valley Center 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 Valley Center is 147, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Valley Center ranks as the #400 cheapest in California out of 635.

  • Valley Center ranks as the #5,771 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Valley Center is $665,800.

  • The median income in Valley Center is $103,224.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
147
Valley Center's Overall Cost Of Living
1.5x
Higher Than The National Average

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

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Valley Center has an overall cost of living index of 147, which is 1.5x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, Valley Center has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than California's index of 139.

The standard of living in Valley Center ranks as #400 most affordable out of the 635 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Valley Center ranks as the #235 most expensive place in the Golden State.

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

400 out of 635
In California
5,771 out of 6,412
In America

Valley Center Cost Of Living Vs. California

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

  • The Services index in Valley Center is 109.

  • The Groceries index in Valley Center is 115.

  • The Health index in Valley Center is 110.

  • The Housing index in Valley Center is 220.

  • The Transportation index in Valley Center is 134.

  • The Utilities index in Valley Center is 126.

Living Expense Valley Center California National Average
Overall 147 139 100
Services 109 110 100
Groceries 115 112 100
Health 110 109 100
Housing 220 204 100
Transportation 134 126 100
Utilities 126 124 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Valley Center Cost of Living Vs. CA

Valley Center, 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 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Valley Center is $665,800.

  • The Median Rent in Valley Center is $1,238.

  • The Median Income in Valley Center is $103,224.

  • The Home Value To Income in Valley Center is 6.5x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Valley Center is 0.14x.

Statistic Valley Center California United States
Median Home Value $665,800 $573,200 $244,900
Median Rent $1,238 $1,698 $1,163
Median Income $103,224 $84,097 $69,021
Home Value To Income 6.5x 6.8x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.14x 0.24x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Valley Center, CA
$665,800
Median Home Value
$1,238
Median Rent
$103,224
Median Income

Valley Center, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Valley Center Services Costs Vs. California

Item Valley Center California
Shampoo $1.2 $1.06
Movie $14.42 $10.68
Bowling $22.0 $14.67
Haircut $22.68 $18.62
Beauty Salon $64.57 $39.05

Detailed Valley Center Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Valley Center California
Ground Beef $4.58 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.72 $1.39
Milk $2.19 $2.05
Potatoes $2.99 $3.29
Pizza $11.43 $10.62
Beer $9.82 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.48 $2.34

Detailed Valley Center Health Costs Vs. California

Item Valley Center California
Optometrist $117.65 $108.57
Doctor $125.0 $116.17
Dentist $107.18 $99.13

Detailed Valley Center Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Valley Center California
Gasoline $3.24 $2.22
Tire Balancing $56.47 $50.07

Detailed Valley Center Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Valley Center California
All Electricity $247.56 $167.67
Phone $176.01 $175.64

Valley Center SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8.5/10
Housing
9
Affordability
6
Diversity
9
Safety
N/A
Amenities
6
Education
7
Commute
4

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Valley Center

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

  • Oceanside, CA has a cost of living index of 140, 1.0x Valley Center.

  • Escondido, CA has a cost of living index of 136, 0.9x Valley Center.

  • Carlsbad, CA has a cost of living index of 175, 1.2x Valley Center.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Valley Center
Oceanside, CA 174,461 140 1.0x
Escondido, CA 151,443 136 0.9x
Carlsbad, CA 114,858 175 1.2x
Temecula, CA 109,376 135 0.9x
Vista, CA 98,651 139 0.9x
San Marcos, CA 94,313 143 1.0x
Encinitas, CA 62,140 193 1.3x
Poway, CA 49,005 160 1.1x
Fallbrook, CA 32,999 139 0.9x
Ramona, CA 21,853 138 0.9x

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