Cost of living in Carbondale 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 Carbondale 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 Carbondale is 160, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Carbondale is 1.6x higher than the national average.
Carbondale ranks as the #104 cheapest in Colorado out of 113.
Carbondale ranks as the #5,900 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Carbondale is $1,414,491.
The median income in Carbondale is $94,300.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Carbondale has an overall cost of living index of 160, which is 1.6x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Colorado, Carbondale has a cost of living index that's 1.4x higher than Colorado's index of 111.
The standard of living in Carbondale ranks as #104 most affordable out of the 113 places we measured in Colorado. By definition, that implies Carbondale ranks as the #9 most expensive place in the Centennial State.
For more reading on life in Carbondale, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Carbondale. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Carbondale is 100.
The Groceries index in Carbondale is 103.
The Health index in Carbondale is 109.
The Housing index in Carbondale is 298.
The Transportation index in Carbondale is 109.
The Utilities index in Carbondale is 88.
| Living Expense | Carbondale | Colorado | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 160 | 111 | 100 | |
| Services | 100 | 102 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 103 | 103 | 100 | |
| Health | 109 | 101 | 100 | |
| Housing | 298 | 134 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 109 | 107 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 88 | 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 Carbondale is $1,414,491.
The Median Rent in Carbondale is $2,255.
The Median Income in Carbondale is $94,300.
The Home Value To Income in Carbondale is 15.0x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Carbondale is 0.29x.
| Statistic | Carbondale | Colorado | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $1,414,491 | $540,183 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $2,255 | $1,693 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $94,300 | $92,470 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 15.0x | 5.8x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.29x | 0.22x | 0.21x |
| Item | Carbondale | Colorado |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.11 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $10.84 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $13.55 | $18 |
| Haircut | $27.07 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $38.5 | $45.56 |
| Item | Carbondale | Colorado |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.27 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.39 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.6 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.16 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $12.49 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.74 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.65 | $3.7 |
| Item | Carbondale | Colorado |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $108.15 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $121.76 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $124.32 | $113.29 |
| Item | Carbondale | Colorado |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.55 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $56.9 | $59.92 |
| Item | Carbondale | Colorado |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $173.81 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $193.95 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Carbondale. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Rifle, CO has a cost of living index of 111, 0.7x Carbondale.
Edwards, CO has a cost of living index of 167, 1.0x Carbondale.
Glenwood Springs, CO has a cost of living index of 131, 0.8x Carbondale.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Carbondale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rifle, CO | 10,466 | 111 | 0.7x |
| Edwards, CO | 10,415 | 167 | 1.0x |
| Glenwood Springs, CO | 10,171 | 131 | 0.8x |
| Gypsum, CO | 8,481 | 133 | 0.8x |
| Eagle, CO | 7,479 | 151 | 0.9x |
| Aspen, CO | 6,862 | 149 | 0.9x |
| Avon, CO | 6,057 | 144 | 0.9x |