Plainfield, NJ Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-23

Cost Of Living In Plainfield, NJ Summary

Cost of living in 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 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 Plainfield is 118, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Plainfield ranks as the #74 cheapest in New Jersey out of 260.

  • Plainfield ranks as the #4,280 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Plainfield is $519,470.

  • The median income in Plainfield is $80,334.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
118
Plainfield's Overall Cost Of Living
1.2x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Plainfield, NJ?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Plainfield has an overall cost of living index of 118, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.

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

The standard of living in Plainfield ranks as #74 most affordable out of the 260 places we measured in New Jersey. By definition, that implies Plainfield ranks as the #186 most expensive place in the Garden State.

For more reading on life in Plainfield, check out:

74 out of 260
In New Jersey
4,280 out of 6,489
In America

Plainfield Cost Of Living Vs. New Jersey

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

  • The Services index in Plainfield is 113.

  • The Groceries index in Plainfield is 101.

  • The Health index in Plainfield is 104.

  • The Housing index in Plainfield is 143.

  • The Transportation index in Plainfield is 103.

  • The Utilities index in Plainfield is 109.

Living Expense Plainfield New Jersey National Average
Overall 118 122 100
Services 113 108 100
Groceries 101 102 100
Health 104 97 100
Housing 143 160 100
Transportation 103 103 100
Utilities 109 109 100
For more reading on cost of living around New Jersey, check out:
Plainfield Cost of Living Vs. NJ

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 Plainfield is $519,470.

  • The Median Rent in Plainfield is $1,673.

  • The Median Income in Plainfield is $80,334.

  • The Home Value To Income in Plainfield is 6.5x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Plainfield is 0.25x.

Statistic Plainfield New Jersey United States
Median Home Value $519,470 $564,432 $303,400
Median Rent $1,673 $1,653 $1,348
Median Income $80,334 $101,050 $78,538
Home Value To Income 6.5x 5.6x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.25x 0.2x 0.21x
$519,470
Median Home Value
$1,673
Median Rent
$80,334
Median Income

Plainfield, NJ Costs By Category

Detailed Plainfield Services Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Plainfield New Jersey
Shampoo $1.53 $1.28
Movie $14.53 $12.13
Bowling $20.98 $18.0
Haircut $30.25 $24.26
Beauty Salon $53.0 $45.56

Detailed Plainfield Groceries Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item 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 Plainfield Health Costs Vs. New Jersey

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

Detailed Plainfield Transportation Costs Vs. New Jersey

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

Detailed Plainfield Utilities Costs Vs. New Jersey

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

Plainfield SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
6/10
Housing
8.5
Affordability
4
Diversity
9.5
Safety
6
Amenities
10
Education
5
Commute
4

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Plainfield

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

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

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

  • North Plainfield, NJ has a cost of living index of 121, 1.0x Plainfield.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Plainfield
Westfield, NJ 30,760 178 1.5x
South Plainfield, NJ 24,231 132 1.1x
North Plainfield, NJ 22,667 121 1.0x
Colonia, NJ 18,294 131 1.1x
Middlesex, NJ 14,518 126 1.1x
Bradley Gardens, NJ 14,315 150 1.3x
Florham Park, NJ 13,134 165 1.4x
Martinsville, NJ 12,016 159 1.3x
Boonton, NJ 8,803 129 1.1x
Fanwood, NJ 7,714 150 1.3x

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