Cost of living in Elsmere 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 Elsmere is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Delaware, 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 Elsmere is 105, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Elsmere is 1.1x higher than the national average.
Elsmere ranks as the #7 cheapest in Delaware out of 19.
Elsmere ranks as the #3,177 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Elsmere is $231,894.
The median income in Elsmere is $76,378.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Elsmere has an overall cost of living index of 105, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Delaware, Elsmere has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Delaware's index of 106.
The standard of living in Elsmere ranks as #7 most affordable out of the 19 places we measured in Delaware. By definition, that implies Elsmere ranks as the #12 most expensive place in the First State.
For more reading on life in Elsmere, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Elsmere. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Elsmere is 107.
The Groceries index in Elsmere is 107.
The Health index in Elsmere is 109.
The Housing index in Elsmere is 100.
The Transportation index in Elsmere is 110.
The Utilities index in Elsmere is 92.
| Living Expense | Elsmere | Delaware | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 105 | 106 | 100 | |
| Services | 107 | 103 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 107 | 103 | 100 | |
| Health | 109 | 103 | 100 | |
| Housing | 100 | 123 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 110 | 102 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 92 | 100 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Delaware, 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 Elsmere is $231,894.
The Median Rent in Elsmere is $1,305.
The Median Income in Elsmere is $76,378.
The Home Value To Income in Elsmere is 3.0x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Elsmere is 0.21x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Elsmere. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Wilmington, DE has a cost of living index of 101, 1.0x Elsmere.
West Chester, PA has a cost of living index of 131, 1.2x Elsmere.
Hockessin, DE has a cost of living index of 145, 1.4x Elsmere.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Elsmere |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilmington, DE | 71,124 | 101 | 1.0x |
| West Chester, PA | 19,235 | 131 | 1.2x |
| Hockessin, DE | 13,608 | 145 | 1.4x |
| Pike Creek Valley, DE | 11,992 | 116 | 1.1x |
| Woodlyn, PA | 10,276 | 103 | 1.0x |
| Village Green-Green Ridge, PA | 8,725 | 114 | 1.1x |
| Folsom, PA | 8,298 | 110 | 1.0x |
| Wilmington Manor, DE | 8,030 | 104 | 1.0x |
| Ridley Park, PA | 7,245 | 108 | 1.0x |
| Pike Creek, DE | 7,185 | 129 | 1.2x |