Cost of living in Westfield 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 Westfield 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 Westfield is 178, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Westfield is 1.8x higher than the national average.
Westfield ranks as the #241 cheapest in New Jersey out of 260.
Westfield ranks as the #6,166 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Westfield is $1,212,405.
The median income in Westfield is $212,700.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Westfield has an overall cost of living index of 178, which is 1.8x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to New Jersey, Westfield has a cost of living index that's 1.5x higher than New Jersey's index of 122.
The standard of living in Westfield ranks as #241 most affordable out of the 260 places we measured in New Jersey. By definition, that implies Westfield ranks as the #19 most expensive place in the Garden State.
For more reading on life in Westfield, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Westfield. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Westfield is 112.
The Groceries index in Westfield is 104.
The Health index in Westfield is 101.
The Housing index in Westfield is 346.
The Transportation index in Westfield is 105.
The Utilities index in Westfield is 106.
| Living Expense | Westfield | New Jersey | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 178 | 122 | 100 | |
| Services | 112 | 108 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 104 | 102 | 100 | |
| Health | 101 | 97 | 100 | |
| Housing | 346 | 160 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 105 | 103 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 106 | 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 Westfield is $1,212,405.
The Median Rent in Westfield is $2,211.
The Median Income in Westfield is $212,700.
The Home Value To Income in Westfield is 5.7x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Westfield is 0.12x.
| Statistic | Westfield | New Jersey | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $1,212,405 | $564,432 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $2,211 | $1,653 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $212,700 | $101,050 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 5.7x | 5.6x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.12x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
| Item | Westfield | 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 |
| Item | Westfield | 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 | Westfield | New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $129.93 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $124.1 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $129.94 | $113.29 |
| Item | Westfield | New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.41 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $72.38 | $59.92 |
| Item | Westfield | New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $223.08 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $186.61 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Westfield. 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, 0.7x Westfield.
Rahway, NJ has a cost of living index of 116, 0.7x Westfield.
Summit, NJ has a cost of living index of 183, 1.0x Westfield.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Westfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plainfield, NJ | 54,515 | 118 | 0.7x |
| Rahway, NJ | 29,748 | 116 | 0.7x |
| Summit, NJ | 22,512 | 183 | 1.0x |
| Roselle, NJ | 22,455 | 111 | 0.6x |
| Colonia, NJ | 18,294 | 131 | 0.7x |
| Middlesex, NJ | 14,518 | 126 | 0.7x |
| Bradley Gardens, NJ | 14,315 | 150 | 0.8x |
| Roselle Park, NJ | 13,965 | 122 | 0.7x |
| Florham Park, NJ | 13,134 | 165 | 0.9x |
| Martinsville, NJ | 12,016 | 159 | 0.9x |