Newton, MA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Newton, MA Summary

Cost of living in Newton 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 Newton is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Massachusetts, 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 Newton is 208, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Newton is 2.1x higher than the national average.

  • Newton ranks as the #106 cheapest in Massachusetts out of 112.

  • Newton ranks as the #6,347 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Newton is $1,499,948.

  • The median income in Newton is $184,989.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
208
Newton's Overall Cost Of Living
2.1x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Newton, MA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Newton has an overall cost of living index of 208, which is 2.1x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Massachusetts, Newton has a cost of living index that's 1.6x higher than Massachusetts's index of 134.

The standard of living in Newton ranks as #106 most affordable out of the 112 places we measured in Massachusetts. By definition, that implies Newton ranks as the #6 most expensive place in the Bay State.

For more reading on life in Newton, check out:

106 out of 112
In Massachusetts
6,347 out of 6,489
In America

Newton Cost Of Living Vs. Massachusetts

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Newton. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Newton is 123.

  • The Groceries index in Newton is 105.

  • The Health index in Newton is 111.

  • The Housing index in Newton is 421.

  • The Transportation index in Newton is 120.

  • The Utilities index in Newton is 136.

Living Expense Newton Massachusetts National Average
Overall 208 134 100
Services 123 121 100
Groceries 105 106 100
Health 111 112 100
Housing 421 164 100
Transportation 120 120 100
Utilities 136 136 100
For more reading on cost of living around Massachusetts, check out:
Newton Cost of Living Vs. MA

Newton, MA Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Massachusetts, 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 Newton is $1,499,948.

  • The Median Rent in Newton is $2,388.

  • The Median Income in Newton is $184,989.

  • The Home Value To Income in Newton is 8.1x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Newton is 0.15x.

Statistic Newton Massachusetts United States
Median Home Value $1,499,948 $649,115 $303,400
Median Rent $2,388 $1,687 $1,348
Median Income $184,989 $101,341 $78,538
Home Value To Income 8.1x 6.4x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.15x 0.2x 0.21x
$1,499,948
Median Home Value
$2,388
Median Rent
$184,989
Median Income

Newton, MA Costs By Category

Detailed Newton Services Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Newton Massachusetts
Shampoo $1.49 $1.28
Movie $15.49 $12.13
Bowling $29.33 $18
Haircut $43.72 $24.26
Beauty Salon $65.56 $45.56

Detailed Newton Groceries Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Newton Massachusetts
Ground Beef $5.48 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.45 $1.57
Milk $4.76 $4.67
Potatoes $4.99 $4.93
Pizza $12.52 $12.09
Beer $10.21 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.53 $3.7

Detailed Newton Health Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Newton Massachusetts
Optometrist $123.17 $125.68
Doctor $157.89 $135.78
Dentist $149.22 $113.29

Detailed Newton Transportation Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Newton Massachusetts
Gasoline $3.43 $3.46
Tire Balancing $97.39 $59.92

Detailed Newton Utilities Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Newton Massachusetts
All Electricity $302.72 $193.99
Phone $187.85 $192.25

Newton SnackAbility

10
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
9/10
Housing
10
Affordability
7
Diversity
8
Safety
9
Amenities
10
Education
10
Commute
6

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Newton

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Newton. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Cambridge, MA has a cost of living index of 201, 1.0x Newton.

  • Waltham, MA has a cost of living index of 167, 0.8x Newton.

  • Brookline, MA has a cost of living index of 221, 1.1x Newton.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Newton
Cambridge, MA 117,794 201 1.0x
Waltham, MA 64,723 167 0.8x
Brookline, MA 62,822 221 1.1x
Arlington, MA 46,015 179 0.9x
Lexington, MA 34,085 211 1.0x
Needham, MA 32,059 202 1.0x
Wellesley, MA 29,906 243 1.2x
Belmont, MA 27,009 204 1.0x
Reading, MA 25,448 164 0.8x
Dedham, MA 25,109 155 0.7x

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