Wellesley, MA Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Wellesley, MA Summary
Cost of living in Wellesley 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 Wellesley 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 Wellesley is 243, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Wellesley is 2.4x higher than the national average.
Wellesley ranks as the #112 cheapest in Massachusetts out of 112.
Wellesley ranks as the #6,425 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Wellesley is $1,969,343.
The median income in Wellesley is $250,001.
Table Of Contents
Wellesley's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Wellesley, MA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Wellesley has an overall cost of living index of 243, which is 2.4x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Massachusetts, Wellesley has a cost of living index that's 1.8x higher than Massachusetts's index of 134.
The standard of living in Wellesley ranks as #112 most affordable out of the 112 places we measured in Massachusetts. By definition, that implies Wellesley ranks as the #0 most expensive place in the Bay State.
For more reading on life in Wellesley, check out:
In Massachusetts
In America
Wellesley Cost Of Living Vs. Massachusetts
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Wellesley. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Wellesley is 123.
The Groceries index in Wellesley is 107.
The Health index in Wellesley is 112.
The Housing index in Wellesley is 526.
The Transportation index in Wellesley is 116.
The Utilities index in Wellesley is 135.
| Living Expense | Wellesley | Massachusetts | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 243 | 134 | 100 | |
| Services | 123 | 121 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 107 | 106 | 100 | |
| Health | 112 | 112 | 100 | |
| Housing | 526 | 164 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 116 | 120 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 135 | 136 | 100 | |
Wellesley, 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 Wellesley is $1,969,343.
The Median Rent in Wellesley is $2,849.
The Median Income in Wellesley is $250,001.
The Home Value To Income in Wellesley is 7.9x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Wellesley is 0.14x.
| Statistic | Wellesley | Massachusetts | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $1,969,343 | $649,115 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $2,849 | $1,687 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $250,001 | $101,341 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 7.9x | 6.4x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.14x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Wellesley, MA Costs By Category
Detailed Wellesley Services Costs Vs. Massachusetts
| Item | Wellesley | 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 Wellesley Groceries Costs Vs. Massachusetts
| Item | Wellesley | 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 Wellesley Health Costs Vs. Massachusetts
| Item | Wellesley | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $123.17 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $157.89 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $149.22 | $113.29 |
Detailed Wellesley Transportation Costs Vs. Massachusetts
| Item | Wellesley | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.43 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $97.39 | $59.92 |
Detailed Wellesley Utilities Costs Vs. Massachusetts
| Item | Wellesley | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $302.72 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $187.85 | $192.25 |
Wellesley SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Wellesley
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Wellesley. 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, 0.9x Wellesley.
Waltham, MA has a cost of living index of 167, 0.7x Wellesley.
Brookline, MA has a cost of living index of 221, 0.9x Wellesley.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Wellesley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newton, MA | 88,504 | 208 | 0.9x |
| Waltham, MA | 64,723 | 167 | 0.7x |
| Brookline, MA | 62,822 | 221 | 0.9x |
| Arlington, MA | 46,015 | 179 | 0.7x |
| Lexington, MA | 34,085 | 211 | 0.9x |
| Needham, MA | 32,059 | 202 | 0.8x |
| Belmont, MA | 27,009 | 204 | 0.8x |
| Reading, MA | 25,448 | 164 | 0.7x |
| Dedham, MA | 25,109 | 155 | 0.6x |
| Winchester, MA | 22,862 | 212 | 0.9x |
