North Plainfield, NJ Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In North Plainfield, NJ Summary

Cost of living in North Plainfield 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 North Plainfield 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 North Plainfield is 121, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in North Plainfield is 1.2x higher than the national average.

  • North Plainfield ranks as the #93 cheapest in New Jersey out of 260.

  • North Plainfield ranks as the #4,476 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in North Plainfield is $504,045.

  • The median income in North Plainfield is $83,529.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
121
North Plainfield's Overall Cost Of Living
1.2x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in North Plainfield, NJ?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, North Plainfield has an overall cost of living index of 121, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to New Jersey, North Plainfield has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than New Jersey's index of 122.

The standard of living in North Plainfield ranks as #93 most affordable out of the 260 places we measured in New Jersey. By definition, that implies North Plainfield ranks as the #167 most expensive place in the Garden State.

For more reading on life in North Plainfield, check out:

93 out of 260
In New Jersey
4,476 out of 6,489
In America

North Plainfield Cost Of Living Vs. New Jersey

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in North Plainfield. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in North Plainfield is 111.

  • The Groceries index in North Plainfield is 104.

  • The Health index in North Plainfield is 103.

  • The Housing index in North Plainfield is 150.

  • The Transportation index in North Plainfield is 105.

  • The Utilities index in North Plainfield is 109.

Living Expense North Plainfield New Jersey National Average
Overall 121 122 100
Services 111 108 100
Groceries 104 104 100
Health 103 99 100
Housing 150 159 100
Transportation 105 101 100
Utilities 109 107 100
For more reading on cost of living around New Jersey, check out:
North Plainfield Cost of Living Vs. NJ

North Plainfield, NJ Housing Cost Breakdown

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 North Plainfield is $504,045.

  • The Median Rent in North Plainfield is $1,651.

  • The Median Income in North Plainfield is $83,529.

  • The Home Value To Income in North Plainfield is 6.0x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in North Plainfield is 0.24x.

Statistic North Plainfield New Jersey United States
Median Home Value $504,045 $564,432 $303,400
Median Rent $1,651 $1,653 $1,348
Median Income $83,529 $101,050 $78,538
Home Value To Income 6.0x 5.6x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.24x 0.2x 0.21x
$504,045
Median Home Value
$1,651
Median Rent
$83,529
Median Income

North Plainfield, NJ Costs By Category

Detailed North Plainfield Services Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item North Plainfield New Jersey
Shampoo $1.53 $1.28
Movie $14.53 $12.13
Bowling $20.98 $18
Haircut $30.25 $24.26
Beauty Salon $53.0 $45.56

Detailed North Plainfield Groceries Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item North Plainfield New Jersey
Ground Beef $6.13 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.41 $1.57
Milk $4.7 $4.67
Potatoes $5.32 $4.93
Pizza $12.59 $12.09
Beer $11.12 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.75 $3.7

Detailed North Plainfield Health Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item North Plainfield New Jersey
Optometrist $129.93 $125.68
Doctor $124.1 $135.78
Dentist $129.94 $113.29

Detailed North Plainfield Transportation Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item North Plainfield New Jersey
Gasoline $3.41 $3.46
Tire Balancing $72.38 $59.92

Detailed North Plainfield Utilities Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item North Plainfield New Jersey
All Electricity $223.08 $193.99
Phone $186.61 $192.25

North Plainfield SnackAbility

8
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
7/10
Housing
8.5
Affordability
6
Diversity
10
Safety
8
Amenities
9.5
Education
7
Commute
4

Cost Of Living In Cities Around North Plainfield

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around North Plainfield. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Plainfield, NJ has a cost of living index of 118, 1.0x North Plainfield.

  • Westfield, NJ has a cost of living index of 178, 1.5x North Plainfield.

  • South Plainfield, NJ has a cost of living index of 132, 1.1x North Plainfield.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. North Plainfield
Plainfield, NJ 54,515 118 1.0x
Westfield, NJ 30,760 178 1.5x
South Plainfield, NJ 24,231 132 1.1x
Middlesex, NJ 14,518 126 1.0x
Bradley Gardens, NJ 14,315 150 1.2x
New Providence, NJ 13,577 160 1.3x
Florham Park, NJ 13,134 165 1.4x
Martinsville, NJ 12,016 159 1.3x
Succasunna, NJ 9,866 134 1.1x
Boonton, NJ 8,803 129 1.1x

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