Charleston, IL Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Charleston, IL Summary
Cost of living in Charleston 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 Charleston is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Illinois, 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 Charleston is 92, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Charleston is 0.9x lower than the national average.
Charleston ranks as the #92 cheapest in Illinois out of 336.
Charleston ranks as the #1,501 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Charleston is $159,216.
The median income in Charleston is $49,057.
Table Of Contents
Charleston's Overall Cost Of Living
Lower Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Charleston, IL?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Charleston has an overall cost of living index of 92, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Illinois, Charleston has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Illinois's index of 97.
The standard of living in Charleston ranks as #92 most affordable out of the 336 places we measured in Illinois. By definition, that implies Charleston ranks as the #244 most expensive place in the Prairie State.
For more reading on life in Charleston, check out:
In Illinois
In America
Charleston Cost Of Living Vs. Illinois
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Charleston. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Charleston is 97.
The Groceries index in Charleston is 99.
The Health index in Charleston is 133.
The Housing index in Charleston is 66.
The Transportation index in Charleston is 102.
The Utilities index in Charleston is 108.
| Living Expense | Charleston | Illinois | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 92 | 97 | 100 | |
| Services | 97 | 95 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 99 | 99 | 100 | |
| Health | 133 | 93 | 100 | |
| Housing | 66 | 95 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 102 | 102 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 108 | 91 | 100 | |
Charleston, IL Housing Cost Breakdown
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Illinois, 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 Charleston is $159,216.
The Median Rent in Charleston is $819.
The Median Income in Charleston is $49,057.
The Home Value To Income in Charleston is 3.2x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Charleston is 0.2x.
| Statistic | Charleston | Illinois | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $159,216 | $283,508 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $819 | $1,227 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $49,057 | $81,702 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 3.2x | 3.5x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.2x | 0.18x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Charleston, IL Costs By Category
Detailed Charleston Services Costs Vs. Illinois
| Item | Charleston | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.24 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $9.63 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $15.0 | $18 |
| Haircut | $18.5 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $30.0 | $45.56 |
Detailed Charleston Groceries Costs Vs. Illinois
| Item | Charleston | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.92 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.62 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.75 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.14 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $13.25 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $9.97 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.71 | $3.7 |
Detailed Charleston Health Costs Vs. Illinois
| Item | Charleston | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $150.0 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $146.67 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $205.92 | $113.29 |
Detailed Charleston Transportation Costs Vs. Illinois
| Item | Charleston | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.45 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $67.33 | $59.92 |
Detailed Charleston Utilities Costs Vs. Illinois
| Item | Charleston | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $216.89 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $190.03 | $192.25 |
Charleston SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Charleston
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Charleston. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Champaign, IL has a cost of living index of 95, 1.0x Charleston.
Urbana, IL has a cost of living index of 91, 1.0x Charleston.
Mattoon, IL has a cost of living index of 78, 0.8x Charleston.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Charleston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Champaign, IL | 88,822 | 95 | 1.0x |
| Urbana, IL | 38,447 | 91 | 1.0x |
| Mattoon, IL | 16,334 | 78 | 0.8x |
| Effingham, IL | 12,258 | 85 | 0.9x |
| Mahomet, IL | 9,755 | 104 | 1.1x |
| Savoy, IL | 8,807 | 105 | 1.1x |
| Monticello, IL | 6,332 | 99 | 1.1x |
| Mount Zion, IL | 6,076 | 84 | 0.9x |
| Pana, IL | 5,277 | 74 | 0.8x |
