Cost of living in Camden 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 Camden is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in New Jersey, 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 Camden is 89, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Camden is 0.9x lower than the national average.
Camden ranks as the #3 cheapest in New Jersey out of 260.
Camden ranks as the #1,060 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Camden is $149,484.
The median income in Camden is $40,450.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Camden has an overall cost of living index of 89, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to New Jersey, Camden has a cost of living index that's 0.7x lower than New Jersey's index of 122.
The standard of living in Camden ranks as #3 most affordable out of the 260 places we measured in New Jersey. By definition, that implies Camden ranks as the #257 most expensive place in the Garden State.
For more reading on life in Camden, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Camden. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Camden is 105.
The Groceries index in Camden is 101.
The Health index in Camden is 95.
The Housing index in Camden is 60.
The Transportation index in Camden is 105.
The Utilities index in Camden is 110.
| Living Expense | Camden | New Jersey | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 89 | 122 | 100 | |
| Services | 105 | 108 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 101 | 102 | 100 | |
| Health | 95 | 97 | 100 | |
| Housing | 60 | 160 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 105 | 103 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 110 | 109 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in New Jersey, 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 Camden is $149,484.
The Median Rent in Camden is $1,157.
The Median Income in Camden is $40,450.
The Home Value To Income in Camden is 3.7x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Camden is 0.34x.
| Statistic | Camden | New Jersey | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $149,484 | $564,432 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,157 | $1,653 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $40,450 | $101,050 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 3.7x | 5.6x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.34x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
| Item | Camden | New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.52 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $13.75 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $19.47 | $18.0 |
| Haircut | $23.54 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $66.27 | $45.56 |
| Item | Camden | New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.76 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.46 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.67 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.37 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $11.73 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $11.99 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.65 | $3.7 |
| Item | Camden | New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $123.5 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $132.56 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $103.31 | $113.29 |
| Item | Camden | New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.53 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $70.89 | $59.92 |
| Item | Camden | New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $222.45 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $198.27 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Camden. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Springdale, NJ has a cost of living index of 123, 1.4x Camden.
Ardmore, PA has a cost of living index of 124, 1.4x Camden.
Collingswood, NJ has a cost of living index of 113, 1.3x Camden.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Camden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Springdale, NJ | 15,672 | 123 | 1.4x |
| Ardmore, PA | 14,165 | 124 | 1.4x |
| Collingswood, NJ | 14,163 | 113 | 1.3x |
| Greentree, NJ | 11,024 | 130 | 1.5x |
| Ashland, NJ | 9,437 | 116 | 1.3x |
| Audubon, NJ | 8,699 | 109 | 1.2x |
| Glenside, PA | 7,941 | 118 | 1.3x |
| Maple Glen, PA | 6,851 | 138 | 1.6x |
| Ramblewood, NJ | 6,542 | 119 | 1.3x |
| Penn Wynne, PA | 6,220 | 131 | 1.5x |