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 239, 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 130.
The standard of living in Wellesley ranks as #113 most affordable out of the 113 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:
Wellesley Cost Of Living Vs. Massachusetts
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Wellesley. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Wellesley is 106.
The Groceries index in Wellesley is 113.
The Health index in Wellesley is 524.
The Housing index in Wellesley is 118.
The Transportation index in Wellesley is 115.
The Utilities index in Wellesley is 115.
| Living Expense | Wellesley | Massachusetts | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 239 | 130 | 100 |
| Services | 106 | 110 | 100 |
| Groceries | 113 | 115 | 100 |
| Health | 524 | 168 | 100 |
| Housing | 118 | 117 | 100 |
| Transportation | 115 | 115 | 100 |
| Utilities | 115 | 114 | 100 |
Wellesley Cost Of Living Compared To Massachusetts Averages
Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.
For more reading on cost of living around Massachusetts, check out:
- Most Expensive Cities In Massachusetts
- Most Affordable Cities In Massachusetts
- Average Rent In Massachusetts
Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 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 2020-2024. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Wellesley is $2,023,292.
The Median Rent in Wellesley is $2,886.
The Median Income in Wellesley is $250,001.
The Home Value To Income in Wellesley is 8.1x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Wellesley is 0.14x.
| Statistic | Wellesley | Massachusetts | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $2,023,292 | $656,690 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $2,886 | $1,762 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $250,001 | $103,960 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 8.1x | 6.3x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.14x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
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
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 205, 0.9x Wellesley.
Waltham, MA has a cost of living index of 163, 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 | 89,044 | 205 | 0.9x |
| Waltham, MA | 64,902 | 163 | 0.7x |
| Brookline, MA | 63,266 | 221 | 0.9x |
| Arlington, MA | 46,350 | 173 | 0.7x |
| Lexington, MA | 34,295 | 209 | 0.9x |
| Needham, MA | 32,459 | 203 | 0.8x |
| Belmont, MA | 27,175 | 203 | 0.8x |
| Reading, MA | 25,612 | 162 | 0.7x |
| Dedham, MA | 25,237 | 154 | 0.6x |
| Winchester, MA | 23,406 | 210 | 0.9x |
