Cost of living in Watertown 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 Watertown 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 York, 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 Watertown is 94, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Watertown is 0.9x lower than the national average.
Watertown ranks as the #56 cheapest in New York out of 341.
Watertown ranks as the #1,806 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Watertown is $195,762.
The median income in Watertown is $49,692.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Watertown has an overall cost of living index of 94, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to New York, Watertown has a cost of living index that's 0.8x lower than New York's index of 119.
The standard of living in Watertown ranks as #56 most affordable out of the 341 places we measured in New York. By definition, that implies Watertown ranks as the #285 most expensive place in the Empire State.
For more reading on life in Watertown, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Watertown. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Watertown is 99.
The Groceries index in Watertown is 98.
The Health index in Watertown is 103.
The Housing index in Watertown is 77.
The Transportation index in Watertown is 110.
The Utilities index in Watertown is 107.
| Living Expense | Watertown | New York | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 94 | 119 | 100 | |
| Services | 99 | 110 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 98 | 103 | 100 | |
| Health | 103 | 101 | 100 | |
| Housing | 77 | 145 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 110 | 105 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 107 | 99 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in New York, 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 Watertown is $195,762.
The Median Rent in Watertown is $933.
The Median Income in Watertown is $49,692.
The Home Value To Income in Watertown is 3.9x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Watertown is 0.23x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Watertown. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Morristown, TN has a cost of living index of 84, 0.9x Watertown.
Oswego, NY has a cost of living index of 89, 0.9x Watertown.
Fort Drum, NY has a cost of living index of 118, 1.3x Watertown.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Watertown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morristown, TN | 30,983 | 84 | 0.9x |
| Oswego, NY | 17,028 | 89 | 0.9x |
| Fort Drum, NY | 16,124 | 118 | 1.3x |