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 Indiana, 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 80, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Marion is 0.8x lower than the national average.
Marion ranks as the #2 cheapest in Indiana out of 128.
Marion ranks as the #112 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Marion is $134,014.
The median income in Marion is $43,349.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Marion has an overall cost of living index of 80, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Indiana, Marion has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Indiana's index of 90.
The standard of living in Marion ranks as #2 most affordable out of the 128 places we measured in Indiana. By definition, that implies Marion ranks as the #126 most expensive place in the Hoosier 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 87.
The Groceries index in Marion is 98.
The Health index in Marion is 95.
The Housing index in Marion is 48.
The Transportation index in Marion is 92.
The Utilities index in Marion is 108.
| Living Expense | Marion | Indiana | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 80 | 90 | 100 | |
| Services | 87 | 92 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 98 | 96 | 100 | |
| Health | 95 | 98 | 100 | |
| Housing | 48 | 73 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 92 | 96 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 108 | 107 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Indiana, 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 $134,014.
The Median Rent in Marion is $760.
The Median Income in Marion is $43,349.
The Home Value To Income in Marion is 3.1x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Marion is 0.21x.
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:
Fort Wayne, IN has a cost of living index of 91, 1.1x Marion.
Carmel, IN has a cost of living index of 119, 1.5x Marion.
Noblesville, IN has a cost of living index of 104, 1.3x Marion.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Marion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Wayne, IN | 266,235 | 91 | 1.1x |
| Carmel, IN | 100,501 | 119 | 1.5x |
| Noblesville, IN | 71,940 | 104 | 1.3x |
| Westfield, IN | 51,109 | 114 | 1.4x |
| Warsaw, IN | 16,592 | 89 | 1.1x |
| Frankfort, IN | 15,536 | 87 | 1.1x |
| Decatur, IN | 9,769 | 87 | 1.1x |
| Middletown, KY | 9,622 | 105 | 1.3x |