Cost of living in Aspen 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 Aspen is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Colorado, 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 Aspen is 149, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Aspen is 1.5x higher than the national average.
Aspen ranks as the #93 cheapest in Colorado out of 113.
Aspen ranks as the #5,665 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Aspen is $3,460,931.
The median income in Aspen is $78,636.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Aspen has an overall cost of living index of 149, which is 1.5x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Colorado, Aspen has a cost of living index that's 1.3x higher than Colorado's index of 111.
The standard of living in Aspen ranks as #93 most affordable out of the 113 places we measured in Colorado. By definition, that implies Aspen ranks as the #20 most expensive place in the Centennial State.
For more reading on life in Aspen, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Aspen. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Aspen is 100.
The Groceries index in Aspen is 105.
The Health index in Aspen is 111.
The Housing index in Aspen is 265.
The Transportation index in Aspen is 110.
The Utilities index in Aspen is 91.
| Living Expense | Aspen | Colorado | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 149 | 111 | 100 | |
| Services | 100 | 102 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 105 | 103 | 100 | |
| Health | 111 | 101 | 100 | |
| Housing | 265 | 134 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 110 | 107 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 91 | 89 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Colorado, 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 Aspen is $3,460,931.
The Median Rent in Aspen is $1,897.
The Median Income in Aspen is $78,636.
The Home Value To Income in Aspen is 44.0x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Aspen is 0.29x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Aspen. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Edwards, CO has a cost of living index of 167, 1.1x Aspen.
Glenwood Springs, CO has a cost of living index of 131, 0.9x Aspen.
Gypsum, CO has a cost of living index of 133, 0.9x Aspen.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Aspen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edwards, CO | 10,415 | 167 | 1.1x |
| Glenwood Springs, CO | 10,171 | 131 | 0.9x |
| Gypsum, CO | 8,481 | 133 | 0.9x |
| Eagle, CO | 7,479 | 151 | 1.0x |
| Gunnison, CO | 6,712 | 110 | 0.7x |
| Carbondale, CO | 6,553 | 160 | 1.1x |
| Avon, CO | 6,057 | 144 | 1.0x |