Cost of living in Merrydale 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 Merrydale is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Louisiana, 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 Merrydale is 90, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Merrydale is 0.9x lower than the national average.
Merrydale ranks as the #35 cheapest in Louisiana out of 106.
Merrydale ranks as the #1,206 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Merrydale is $125,032.
The median income in Merrydale is $41,986.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Merrydale has an overall cost of living index of 90, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Louisiana, Merrydale has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Louisiana's index of 90.
The standard of living in Merrydale ranks as #35 most affordable out of the 106 places we measured in Louisiana. By definition, that implies Merrydale ranks as the #71 most expensive place in the Pelican State.
For more reading on life in Merrydale, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Merrydale. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Merrydale is 103.
The Groceries index in Merrydale is 98.
The Health index in Merrydale is 99.
The Housing index in Merrydale is 72.
The Transportation index in Merrydale is 94.
The Utilities index in Merrydale is 72.
| Living Expense | Merrydale | Louisiana | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 90 | 90 | 100 | |
| Services | 103 | 94 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 98 | 93 | 100 | |
| Health | 99 | 100 | 100 | |
| Housing | 72 | 80 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 94 | 94 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 72 | 83 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Louisiana, 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 Merrydale is $125,032.
The Median Rent in Merrydale is $1,187.
The Median Income in Merrydale is $41,986.
The Home Value To Income in Merrydale is 3.0x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Merrydale is 0.34x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Merrydale. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Baton Rouge, LA has a cost of living index of 95, 1.1x Merrydale.
Prairieville, LA has a cost of living index of 109, 1.2x Merrydale.
Central, LA has a cost of living index of 106, 1.2x Merrydale.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Merrydale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge, LA | 223,699 | 95 | 1.1x |
| Prairieville, LA | 35,010 | 109 | 1.2x |
| Central, LA | 29,603 | 106 | 1.2x |
| Zachary, LA | 19,637 | 105 | 1.2x |
| Shenandoah, LA | 18,259 | 109 | 1.2x |
| Baker, LA | 12,322 | 89 | 1.0x |
| Gardere, LA | 12,130 | 101 | 1.1x |
| Denham Springs, LA | 9,362 | 94 | 1.0x |
| Oak Hills Place, LA | 8,380 | 117 | 1.3x |
| St. Gabriel, LA | 6,569 | 93 | 1.0x |