Carlisle, PA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Carlisle, PA Summary

Cost of living in Carlisle 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 Carlisle is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Pennsylvania, 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 Carlisle is 104, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Carlisle is 1.0x higher than the national average.

  • Carlisle ranks as the #172 cheapest in Pennsylvania out of 255.

  • Carlisle ranks as the #3,063 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Carlisle is $321,636.

  • The median income in Carlisle is $59,742.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
104
Carlisle's Overall Cost Of Living
1.0x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Carlisle, PA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Carlisle has an overall cost of living index of 104, which is 1.0x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Pennsylvania, Carlisle has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Pennsylvania's index of 100.

The standard of living in Carlisle ranks as #172 most affordable out of the 255 places we measured in Pennsylvania. By definition, that implies Carlisle ranks as the #83 most expensive place in the Keystone State.

For more reading on life in Carlisle, check out:

172 out of 255
In Pennsylvania
3,063 out of 6,489
In America

Carlisle Cost Of Living Vs. Pennsylvania

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

  • The Services index in Carlisle is 108.

  • The Groceries index in Carlisle is 100.

  • The Health index in Carlisle is 108.

  • The Housing index in Carlisle is 96.

  • The Transportation index in Carlisle is 107.

  • The Utilities index in Carlisle is 92.

Living Expense Carlisle Pennsylvania National Average
Overall 104 100 100
Services 108 101 100
Groceries 100 101 100
Health 108 95 100
Housing 96 93 100
Transportation 107 108 100
Utilities 92 108 100
For more reading on cost of living around Pennsylvania, check out:
Carlisle Cost of Living Vs. PA

Carlisle, PA Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Pennsylvania, 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 Carlisle is $321,636.

  • The Median Rent in Carlisle is $986.

  • The Median Income in Carlisle is $59,742.

  • The Home Value To Income in Carlisle is 5.4x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Carlisle is 0.2x.

Statistic Carlisle Pennsylvania United States
Median Home Value $321,636 $281,782 $303,400
Median Rent $986 $1,162 $1,348
Median Income $59,742 $76,081 $78,538
Home Value To Income 5.4x 3.7x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.2x 0.18x 0.21x
$321,636
Median Home Value
$986
Median Rent
$59,742
Median Income

Carlisle, PA Costs By Category

Detailed Carlisle Services Costs Vs. Pennsylvania

Item Carlisle Pennsylvania
Shampoo $1.43 $1.28
Movie $12.52 $12.13
Bowling $15.56 $18
Haircut $26.17 $24.26
Beauty Salon $40.39 $45.56

Detailed Carlisle Groceries Costs Vs. Pennsylvania

Item Carlisle Pennsylvania
Ground Beef $5.65 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.45 $1.57
Milk $4.49 $4.67
Potatoes $5.37 $4.93
Pizza $11.67 $12.09
Beer $11.13 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.77 $3.7

Detailed Carlisle Health Costs Vs. Pennsylvania

Item Carlisle Pennsylvania
Optometrist $123.25 $125.68
Doctor $177.4 $135.78
Dentist $118.44 $113.29

Detailed Carlisle Transportation Costs Vs. Pennsylvania

Item Carlisle Pennsylvania
Gasoline $3.66 $3.46
Tire Balancing $68.88 $59.92

Detailed Carlisle Utilities Costs Vs. Pennsylvania

Item Carlisle Pennsylvania
All Electricity $169.62 $193.99
Phone $195.81 $192.25

Carlisle SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
7/10
Housing
8
Affordability
6
Diversity
8
Safety
N/A
Amenities
9
Education
8
Commute
9

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Carlisle

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

  • Harrisburg, PA has a cost of living index of 88, 0.8x Carlisle.

  • Mechanicsburg, PA has a cost of living index of 103, 1.0x Carlisle.

  • Camp Hill, PA has a cost of living index of 110, 1.1x Carlisle.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Carlisle
Harrisburg, PA 50,092 88 0.8x
Mechanicsburg, PA 9,535 103 1.0x
Camp Hill, PA 8,149 110 1.1x
Lower Allen, PA 7,582 101 1.0x
New Cumberland, PA 7,531 99 1.0x
Schlusser, PA 5,926 99 1.0x
Enola, PA 5,913 96 0.9x
Shippensburg, PA 5,811 97 0.9x

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