South Plainfield, NJ Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In South Plainfield, NJ Summary

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 126, 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 #121 cheapest in New Jersey out of 251.

  • South Plainfield ranks as the #5,091 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in South Plainfield is $362,200.

  • The median income in South Plainfield is $114,293.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
126
South Plainfield's Overall Cost Of Living
1.3x
Higher Than The National Average

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

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, South Plainfield has an overall cost of living index of 126, 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 111.

The standard of living in South Plainfield ranks as #121 most affordable out of the 251 places we measured in New Jersey. By definition, that implies South Plainfield ranks as the #130 most expensive place in the Garden State.

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

121 out of 251
In New Jersey
5,091 out of 6,412
In America

South Plainfield Cost Of Living Vs. New Jersey

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 112.

  • The Groceries index in South Plainfield is 107.

  • The Health index in South Plainfield is 103.

  • The Housing index in South Plainfield is 169.

  • The Transportation index in South Plainfield is 105.

  • The Utilities index in South Plainfield is 101.

Living Expense South Plainfield New Jersey National Average
Overall 126 111 100
Services 112 104 100
Groceries 107 104 100
Health 103 95 100
Housing 169 130 100
Transportation 105 106 100
Utilities 101 108 100
For more reading on cost of living around New Jersey, check out:
South Plainfield Cost of Living Vs. NJ

South 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 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in South Plainfield is $362,200.

  • The Median Rent in South Plainfield is $1,766.

  • The Median Income in South Plainfield is $114,293.

  • The Home Value To Income in South Plainfield is 3.2x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in South Plainfield is 0.19x.

Statistic South Plainfield New Jersey United States
Median Home Value $362,200 $355,700 $244,900
Median Rent $1,766 $1,436 $1,163
Median Income $114,293 $89,703 $69,021
Home Value To Income 3.2x 4.0x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.19x 0.19x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In South Plainfield, NJ
$362,200
Median Home Value
$1,766
Median Rent
$114,293
Median Income

South Plainfield, NJ Costs By Category

Detailed South Plainfield Services Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item South Plainfield New Jersey
Shampoo $1.03 $1.06
Movie $12.59 $10.68
Bowling $17.73 $14.67
Haircut $20.73 $18.62
Beauty Salon $36.4 $39.05

Detailed South Plainfield Groceries Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item South Plainfield New Jersey
Ground Beef $3.87 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.67 $1.39
Milk $2.41 $2.05
Potatoes $3.09 $3.29
Pizza $11.4 $10.62
Beer $9.19 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.16 $2.34

Detailed South Plainfield Health Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item South Plainfield New Jersey
Optometrist $101.33 $108.57
Doctor $94.5 $116.17
Dentist $113.15 $99.13

Detailed South Plainfield Transportation Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item South Plainfield New Jersey
Gasoline $2.26 $2.22
Tire Balancing $56.66 $50.07

Detailed South Plainfield Utilities Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item South Plainfield New Jersey
All Electricity $174.26 $167.67
Phone $179.87 $175.64

South Plainfield SnackAbility

9
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
9
Affordability
7
Diversity
10
Safety
8
Amenities
9
Education
8
Commute
5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around South Plainfield

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 114, 0.9x South Plainfield.

  • Westfield, NJ has a cost of living index of 170, 1.3x South Plainfield.

  • North Plainfield, NJ has a cost of living index of 119, 0.9x South Plainfield.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. South Plainfield
Plainfield, NJ 54,183 114 0.9x
Westfield, NJ 30,950 170 1.3x
North Plainfield, NJ 22,635 119 0.9x
Iselin, NJ 17,684 122 1.0x
Highland Park, NJ 14,947 128 1.0x
Metuchen, NJ 14,883 135 1.1x
Bradley Gardens, NJ 14,798 144 1.1x
Middlesex, NJ 14,513 123 1.0x
Florham Park, NJ 12,655 165 1.3x
Martinsville, NJ 11,980 155 1.2x

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