Cost of living in North Star 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 North Star 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 North Star is 138, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in North Star is 1.4x higher than the national average.
North Star ranks as the #18 cheapest in Delaware out of 19.
North Star ranks as the #5,329 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in North Star is $691,083.
The median income in North Star is $167,664.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, North Star has an overall cost of living index of 138, which is 1.4x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Delaware, North Star has a cost of living index that's 1.3x higher than Delaware's index of 106.
The standard of living in North Star ranks as #18 most affordable out of the 19 places we measured in Delaware. By definition, that implies North Star ranks as the #1 most expensive place in the First State.
For more reading on life in North Star, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in North Star. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in North Star is 105.
The Groceries index in North Star is 104.
The Health index in North Star is 105.
The Housing index in North Star is 217.
The Transportation index in North Star is 106.
The Utilities index in North Star is 93.
| Living Expense | North Star | Delaware | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 138 | 106 | 100 | |
| Services | 105 | 103 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 104 | 103 | 100 | |
| Health | 105 | 103 | 100 | |
| Housing | 217 | 123 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 106 | 102 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 93 | 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 North Star is $691,083.
The Median Rent in North Star is -.
The Median Income in North Star is $167,664.
The Home Value To Income in North Star is 4.1x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in North Star is nanx.
| Statistic | North Star | Delaware | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $691,083 | $398,669 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | - | $1,341 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $167,664 | $82,855 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 4.1x | 4.8x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | nanx | 0.19x | 0.21x |
| Item | North Star | Delaware |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.41 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $12.71 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $19.5 | $18 |
| Haircut | $30.14 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $47.42 | $45.56 |
| Item | North Star | Delaware |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.73 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.52 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.81 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.4 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $11.33 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $11.96 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.61 | $3.7 |
| Item | North Star | Delaware |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $113.67 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $149.53 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $132.28 | $113.29 |
| Item | North Star | Delaware |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.5 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $74.86 | $59.92 |
| Item | North Star | Delaware |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $173.73 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $182.79 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around North Star. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Newark, DE has a cost of living index of 118, 0.9x North Star.
West Chester, PA has a cost of living index of 131, 0.9x North Star.
Brookside, DE has a cost of living index of 109, 0.8x North Star.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. North Star |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newark, DE | 30,309 | 118 | 0.9x |
| West Chester, PA | 19,235 | 131 | 0.9x |
| Brookside, DE | 15,262 | 109 | 0.8x |
| Hockessin, DE | 13,608 | 145 | 1.1x |
| Coatesville, PA | 13,323 | 100 | 0.7x |
| Pennsville, NJ | 12,238 | 99 | 0.7x |
| Pike Creek Valley, DE | 11,992 | 116 | 0.8x |
| Village Green-Green Ridge, PA | 8,725 | 114 | 0.8x |
| Brookhaven, PA | 8,288 | 110 | 0.8x |
| Carneys Point, NJ | 7,945 | 98 | 0.7x |