Reading, MA Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Reading, MA Summary
Cost of living in Reading 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 Reading 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 Reading is 164, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Reading is 1.6x higher than the national average.
Reading ranks as the #87 cheapest in Massachusetts out of 112.
Reading ranks as the #5,968 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Reading is $892,124.
The median income in Reading is $163,725.
Table Of Contents
Reading's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Reading, MA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Reading has an overall cost of living index of 164, which is 1.6x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Massachusetts, Reading has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than Massachusetts's index of 134.
The standard of living in Reading ranks as #87 most affordable out of the 112 places we measured in Massachusetts. By definition, that implies Reading ranks as the #25 most expensive place in the Bay State.
For more reading on life in Reading, check out:
In Massachusetts
In America
Reading Cost Of Living Vs. Massachusetts
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Reading. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Reading is 122.
The Groceries index in Reading is 105.
The Health index in Reading is 113.
The Housing index in Reading is 270.
The Transportation index in Reading is 120.
The Utilities index in Reading is 135.
| Living Expense | Reading | Massachusetts | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 164 | 134 | 100 | |
| Services | 122 | 121 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 105 | 106 | 100 | |
| Health | 113 | 112 | 100 | |
| Housing | 270 | 164 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 120 | 120 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 135 | 136 | 100 | |
Reading, 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 Reading is $892,124.
The Median Rent in Reading is $1,722.
The Median Income in Reading is $163,725.
The Home Value To Income in Reading is 5.4x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Reading is 0.13x.
| Statistic | Reading | Massachusetts | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $892,124 | $649,115 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,722 | $1,687 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $163,725 | $101,341 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 5.4x | 6.4x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.13x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Reading, MA Costs By Category
Detailed Reading Services Costs Vs. Massachusetts
| Item | Reading | 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 Reading Groceries Costs Vs. Massachusetts
| Item | Reading | 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 Reading Health Costs Vs. Massachusetts
| Item | Reading | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $123.17 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $157.89 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $149.22 | $113.29 |
Detailed Reading Transportation Costs Vs. Massachusetts
| Item | Reading | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.43 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $97.39 | $59.92 |
Detailed Reading Utilities Costs Vs. Massachusetts
| Item | Reading | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $302.72 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $187.85 | $192.25 |
Reading SnackAbility
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Cost Of Living In Cities Around Reading
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Reading. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Newton, MA has a cost of living index of 208, 1.3x Reading.
Brookline, MA has a cost of living index of 221, 1.3x Reading.
Arlington, MA has a cost of living index of 179, 1.1x Reading.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newton, MA | 88,504 | 208 | 1.3x |
| Brookline, MA | 62,822 | 221 | 1.3x |
| Arlington, MA | 46,015 | 179 | 1.1x |
| Woburn, MA | 41,205 | 154 | 0.9x |
| Lexington, MA | 34,085 | 211 | 1.3x |
| Needham, MA | 32,059 | 202 | 1.2x |
| Wellesley, MA | 29,906 | 243 | 1.5x |
| Melrose, MA | 29,488 | 166 | 1.0x |
| Saugus, MA | 28,599 | 140 | 0.9x |
| Wakefield, MA | 27,284 | 163 | 1.0x |
