Cost of living in Forest Hills 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 Forest Hills 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 Forest Hills is 95, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Forest Hills is 0.9x lower than the national average.
Forest Hills ranks as the #96 cheapest in Pennsylvania out of 255.
Forest Hills ranks as the #1,954 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Forest Hills is $213,475.
The median income in Forest Hills is $86,802.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Forest Hills has an overall cost of living index of 95, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Pennsylvania, Forest Hills has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Pennsylvania's index of 100.
The standard of living in Forest Hills ranks as #96 most affordable out of the 255 places we measured in Pennsylvania. By definition, that implies Forest Hills ranks as the #159 most expensive place in the Keystone State.
For more reading on life in Forest Hills, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Forest Hills. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Forest Hills is 93.
The Groceries index in Forest Hills is 102.
The Health index in Forest Hills is 93.
The Housing index in Forest Hills is 77.
The Transportation index in Forest Hills is 105.
The Utilities index in Forest Hills is 127.
| Living Expense | Forest Hills | Pennsylvania | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 95 | 100 | 100 | |
| Services | 93 | 101 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 102 | 101 | 100 | |
| Health | 93 | 95 | 100 | |
| Housing | 77 | 93 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 105 | 108 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 127 | 108 | 100 | |
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 Forest Hills is $213,475.
The Median Rent in Forest Hills is $970.
The Median Income in Forest Hills is $86,802.
The Home Value To Income in Forest Hills is 2.5x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Forest Hills is 0.13x.
| Statistic | Forest Hills | Pennsylvania | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $213,475 | $281,782 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $970 | $1,162 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $86,802 | $76,081 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 2.5x | 3.7x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.13x | 0.18x | 0.21x |
| Item | Forest Hills | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.39 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $11.77 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $16.24 | $18 |
| Haircut | $23.73 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $40.4 | $45.56 |
| Item | Forest Hills | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.7 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.41 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.52 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.47 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $12.83 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.58 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.72 | $3.7 |
| Item | Forest Hills | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $109.26 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $100.92 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $110.5 | $113.29 |
| Item | Forest Hills | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.73 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $64.05 | $59.92 |
| Item | Forest Hills | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $270.68 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $196.77 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Forest Hills. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Allison Park, PA has a cost of living index of 109, 1.1x Forest Hills.
Franklin Park, PA has a cost of living index of 131, 1.4x Forest Hills.
Whitehall, PA has a cost of living index of 100, 1.1x Forest Hills.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Forest Hills |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allison Park, PA | 22,108 | 109 | 1.1x |
| Franklin Park, PA | 15,273 | 131 | 1.4x |
| Whitehall, PA | 14,863 | 100 | 1.1x |
| Wilkinsburg, PA | 14,165 | 90 | 0.9x |
| Glenshaw, PA | 9,194 | 103 | 1.1x |
| Swissvale, PA | 8,499 | 93 | 1.0x |
| Pleasant Hills, PA | 8,418 | 99 | 1.0x |
| Castle Shannon, PA | 8,237 | 95 | 1.0x |
| Dormont, PA | 8,120 | 98 | 1.0x |
| West View, PA | 6,582 | 95 | 1.0x |