Cost of living in South 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 South 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 South Plainfield is 132, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in South Plainfield is 1.3x higher than the national average.
South Plainfield ranks as the #143 cheapest in New Jersey out of 260.
South Plainfield ranks as the #5,080 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in South Plainfield is $587,763.
The median income in South Plainfield is $126,063.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, South Plainfield has an overall cost of living index of 132, which is 1.3x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to New Jersey, South Plainfield has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than New Jersey's index of 122.
The standard of living in South Plainfield ranks as #143 most affordable out of the 260 places we measured in New Jersey. By definition, that implies South Plainfield ranks as the #117 most expensive place in the Garden State.
For more reading on life in South Plainfield, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in South Plainfield. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in South Plainfield is 113.
The Groceries index in South Plainfield is 103.
The Health index in South Plainfield is 101.
The Housing index in South Plainfield is 184.
The Transportation index in South Plainfield is 105.
The Utilities index in South Plainfield is 108.
| Living Expense | South Plainfield | New Jersey | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 132 | 122 | 100 | |
| Services | 113 | 108 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 103 | 104 | 100 | |
| Health | 101 | 99 | 100 | |
| Housing | 184 | 159 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 105 | 101 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 108 | 107 | 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 South Plainfield is $587,763.
The Median Rent in South Plainfield is $1,928.
The Median Income in South Plainfield is $126,063.
The Home Value To Income in South Plainfield is 4.7x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in South Plainfield is 0.18x.
| Statistic | South Plainfield | New Jersey | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $587,763 | $564,432 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,928 | $1,653 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $126,063 | $101,050 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 4.7x | 5.6x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.18x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
| Item | South 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 |
| Item | South 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 |
| Item | South Plainfield | New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $129.93 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $124.1 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $129.94 | $113.29 |
| Item | South Plainfield | New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.41 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $72.38 | $59.92 |
| Item | South Plainfield | New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $223.08 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $186.61 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around South 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, 0.9x South Plainfield.
Westfield, NJ has a cost of living index of 178, 1.3x South Plainfield.
North Plainfield, NJ has a cost of living index of 121, 0.9x South Plainfield.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. South Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plainfield, NJ | 54,515 | 118 | 0.9x |
| Westfield, NJ | 30,760 | 178 | 1.3x |
| North Plainfield, NJ | 22,667 | 121 | 0.9x |
| Iselin, NJ | 19,151 | 131 | 1.0x |
| Metuchen, NJ | 14,982 | 144 | 1.1x |
| Highland Park, NJ | 14,981 | 133 | 1.0x |
| Middlesex, NJ | 14,518 | 126 | 1.0x |
| Bradley Gardens, NJ | 14,315 | 150 | 1.1x |
| Florham Park, NJ | 13,134 | 165 | 1.2x |
| Martinsville, NJ | 12,016 | 159 | 1.2x |