Cost of living in Willows 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 Willows 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 Willows is 110, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Willows is 1.1x higher than the national average.
Willows ranks as the #45 cheapest in California out of 634.
Willows ranks as the #3,657 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Willows is $301,239.
The median income in Willows is $78,179.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Willows has an overall cost of living index of 110, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, Willows has a cost of living index that's 0.8x lower than California's index of 141.
The standard of living in Willows ranks as #45 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Willows ranks as the #589 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in Willows, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Willows. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Willows is 109.
The Groceries index in Willows is 110.
The Health index in Willows is 113.
The Housing index in Willows is 105.
The Transportation index in Willows is 119.
The Utilities index in Willows is 116.
| Living Expense | Willows | California | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 110 | 141 | 100 | |
| Services | 109 | 110 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 110 | 112 | 100 | |
| Health | 113 | 110 | 100 | |
| Housing | 105 | 195 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 119 | 125 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 116 | 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 Willows is $301,239.
The Median Rent in Willows is $1,149.
The Median Income in Willows is $78,179.
The Home Value To Income in Willows is 3.9x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Willows is 0.18x.
| Statistic | Willows | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $301,239 | $763,287 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,149 | $1,956 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $78,179 | $96,334 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 3.9x | 7.9x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.18x | 0.24x | 0.21x |
| Item | Willows | California |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.44 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $13.76 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $22.22 | $18 |
| Haircut | $40.0 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $60.53 | $45.56 |
| Item | Willows | California |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.56 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $2.06 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.93 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.69 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $13.98 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.49 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.67 | $3.7 |
| Item | Willows | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $153.5 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $201.43 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $115.72 | $113.29 |
| Item | Willows | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.51 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $58.67 | $59.92 |
| Item | Willows | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $238.53 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $190.81 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Willows. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Chico, CA has a cost of living index of 130, 1.2x Willows.
Live Oak, CA has a cost of living index of 115, 1.0x Willows.
Plumas Lake, CA has a cost of living index of 136, 1.2x Willows.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Willows |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chico, CA | 102,032 | 130 | 1.2x |
| Live Oak, CA | 16,866 | 115 | 1.0x |
| Plumas Lake, CA | 8,424 | 136 | 1.2x |
| Orland, CA | 8,252 | 109 | 1.0x |
| Gridley, CA | 7,372 | 108 | 1.0x |
| Paradise, CA | 6,793 | 117 | 1.1x |
| Colusa, CA | 6,439 | 113 | 1.0x |
| Durham, CA | 6,111 | 153 | 1.4x |
| Williams, CA | 5,569 | 117 | 1.1x |
| Spring Valley, IL | 5,508 | 82 | 0.7x |