Cost of living in Marion 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 Marion 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 Marion is 89, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Marion is 0.9x lower than the national average.
Marion ranks as the #76 cheapest in Illinois out of 336.
Marion ranks as the #1,060 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Marion is $173,732.
The median income in Marion is $57,281.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Marion has an overall cost of living index of 89, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Illinois, Marion has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Illinois's index of 97.
The standard of living in Marion ranks as #76 most affordable out of the 336 places we measured in Illinois. By definition, that implies Marion ranks as the #260 most expensive place in the Prairie State.
For more reading on life in Marion, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Marion. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Marion is 100.
The Groceries index in Marion is 94.
The Health index in Marion is 89.
The Housing index in Marion is 71.
The Transportation index in Marion is 92.
The Utilities index in Marion is 122.
| Living Expense | Marion | Illinois | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 89 | 97 | 100 | |
| Services | 100 | 95 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 94 | 99 | 100 | |
| Health | 89 | 93 | 100 | |
| Housing | 71 | 95 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 92 | 102 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 122 | 91 | 100 | |
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 Marion is $173,732.
The Median Rent in Marion is $878.
The Median Income in Marion is $57,281.
The Home Value To Income in Marion is 3.0x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Marion is 0.18x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Marion. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Elizabethtown, KY has a cost of living index of 95, 1.1x Marion.
Carbondale, IL has a cost of living index of 87, 1.0x Marion.
Jackson, MO has a cost of living index of 93, 1.0x Marion.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Marion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elizabethtown, KY | 31,870 | 95 | 1.1x |
| Carbondale, IL | 21,813 | 87 | 1.0x |
| Jackson, MO | 15,532 | 93 | 1.0x |
| Mount Vernon, IL | 14,492 | 83 | 0.9x |
| Herrin, IL | 12,271 | 89 | 1.0x |
| Murphysboro, IL | 6,804 | 82 | 0.9x |
| Carterville, IL | 5,822 | 98 | 1.1x |
| Pinckneyville, IL | 5,055 | 80 | 0.9x |