What is the cost of living in Wilmington, MA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Wilmington has an overall cost of living index of 156, which is 1.6x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Massachusetts, Wilmington has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than Massachusetts's index of 130.
The standard of living in Wilmington ranks as #82 most affordable out of the 113 places we measured in Massachusetts. By definition, that implies Wilmington ranks as the #31 most expensive place in the Bay State.
For more reading on life in Wilmington, check out:
Wilmington Cost Of Living Vs. Massachusetts
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Wilmington. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Wilmington is 109.
The Groceries index in Wilmington is 116.
The Health index in Wilmington is 254.
The Housing index in Wilmington is 112.
The Transportation index in Wilmington is 115.
The Utilities index in Wilmington is 116.
| Living Expense | Wilmington | Massachusetts | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 156 | 130 | 100 |
| Services | 109 | 110 | 100 |
| Groceries | 116 | 115 | 100 |
| Health | 254 | 168 | 100 |
| Housing | 112 | 117 | 100 |
| Transportation | 115 | 115 | 100 |
| Utilities | 116 | 114 | 100 |
Wilmington 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
Wilmington, 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 Wilmington is $777,834.
The Median Rent in Wilmington is $2,394.
The Median Income in Wilmington is $168,152.
The Home Value To Income in Wilmington is 4.6x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Wilmington is 0.17x.
| Statistic | Wilmington | Massachusetts | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $777,834 | $656,690 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $2,394 | $1,762 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $168,152 | $103,960 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 4.6x | 6.3x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.17x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
Wilmington, MA Costs By Category
Detailed Wilmington Services costs vs. Massachusetts
| Item | Wilmington | 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 Wilmington Groceries costs vs. Massachusetts
| Item | Wilmington | 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 Wilmington Health costs vs. Massachusetts
| Item | Wilmington | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $123.17 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $157.89 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $149.22 | $113.29 |
Detailed Wilmington Transportation costs vs. Massachusetts
| Item | Wilmington | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.43 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $97.39 | $59.92 |
Detailed Wilmington Utilities costs vs. Massachusetts
| Item | Wilmington | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $302.72 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $187.85 | $192.25 |
Wilmington SnackAbility
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Wilmington
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Wilmington. 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, 1.3x Wilmington.
Brookline, MA has a cost of living index of 221, 1.4x Wilmington.
Woburn, MA has a cost of living index of 153, 1.0x Wilmington.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Wilmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newton, MA | 89,044 | 205 | 1.3x |
| Brookline, MA | 63,266 | 221 | 1.4x |
| Woburn, MA | 41,939 | 153 | 1.0x |
| Lexington, MA | 34,295 | 209 | 1.3x |
| Needham, MA | 32,459 | 203 | 1.3x |
| Wellesley, MA | 30,347 | 239 | 1.5x |
| Wakefield, MA | 27,793 | 157 | 1.0x |
| Burlington, MA | 26,274 | 165 | 1.1x |
| Reading, MA | 25,612 | 162 | 1.0x |
| Winchester, MA | 23,406 | 210 | 1.3x |
