Cost of living in West Carson 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 West Carson 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 West Carson is 153, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in West Carson is 1.5x higher than the national average.
West Carson ranks as the #334 cheapest in California out of 634.
West Carson ranks as the #5,771 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in West Carson is $772,880.
The median income in West Carson is $95,385.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, West Carson has an overall cost of living index of 153, which is 1.5x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, West Carson has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than California's index of 141.
The standard of living in West Carson ranks as #334 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies West Carson ranks as the #300 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in West Carson, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in West Carson. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in West Carson is 117.
The Groceries index in West Carson is 113.
The Health index in West Carson is 110.
The Housing index in West Carson is 237.
The Transportation index in West Carson is 122.
The Utilities index in West Carson is 113.
| Living Expense | West Carson | California | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 153 | 141 | 100 | |
| Services | 117 | 110 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 113 | 112 | 100 | |
| Health | 110 | 110 | 100 | |
| Housing | 237 | 195 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 122 | 125 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 113 | 128 | 100 | |
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 West Carson is $772,880.
The Median Rent in West Carson is $1,833.
The Median Income in West Carson is $95,385.
The Home Value To Income in West Carson is 8.1x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in West Carson is 0.23x.
| Statistic | West Carson | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $772,880 | $763,287 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,833 | $1,956 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $95,385 | $96,334 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 8.1x | 7.9x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.23x | 0.24x | 0.21x |
| Item | West Carson | 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 |
| Item | West Carson | 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 |
| Item | West Carson | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $129.09 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $119.86 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $108.07 | $113.29 |
| Item | West Carson | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.47 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $58.33 | $59.92 |
| Item | West Carson | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $326.49 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $182.78 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around West Carson. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Torrance, CA has a cost of living index of 190, 1.2x West Carson.
Carson, CA has a cost of living index of 153, 1.0x West Carson.
Lakewood, CA has a cost of living index of 164, 1.1x West Carson.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. West Carson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Torrance, CA | 143,499 | 190 | 1.2x |
| Carson, CA | 93,523 | 153 | 1.0x |
| Lakewood, CA | 80,510 | 164 | 1.1x |
| Redondo Beach, CA | 69,814 | 212 | 1.4x |
| Gardena, CA | 59,765 | 153 | 1.0x |
| Cypress, CA | 49,531 | 172 | 1.1x |
| Cerritos, CA | 48,340 | 181 | 1.2x |
| La Mirada, CA | 46,945 | 163 | 1.1x |
| Lawndale, CA | 31,113 | 160 | 1.0x |
| West Whittier-Los Nietos, CA | 25,459 | 148 | 1.0x |