Hershey, PA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Hershey, PA Summary

Cost of living in Hershey 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 Hershey 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 Hershey is 112, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Hershey is 1.1x higher than the national average.

  • Hershey ranks as the #204 cheapest in Pennsylvania out of 255.

  • Hershey ranks as the #3,863 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Hershey is $396,886.

  • The median income in Hershey is $78,750.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
112
Hershey's Overall Cost Of Living
1.1x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Hershey, PA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Hershey has an overall cost of living index of 112, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Pennsylvania, Hershey has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Pennsylvania's index of 100.

The standard of living in Hershey ranks as #204 most affordable out of the 255 places we measured in Pennsylvania. By definition, that implies Hershey ranks as the #51 most expensive place in the Keystone State.

For more reading on life in Hershey, check out:

204 out of 255
In Pennsylvania
3,863 out of 6,489
In America

Hershey Cost Of Living Vs. Pennsylvania

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

  • The Services index in Hershey is 106.

  • The Groceries index in Hershey is 99.

  • The Health index in Hershey is 110.

  • The Housing index in Hershey is 126.

  • The Transportation index in Hershey is 109.

  • The Utilities index in Hershey is 94.

Living Expense Hershey Pennsylvania National Average
Overall 112 100 100
Services 106 101 100
Groceries 99 101 100
Health 110 95 100
Housing 126 93 100
Transportation 109 108 100
Utilities 94 108 100
For more reading on cost of living around Pennsylvania, check out:
Hershey Cost of Living Vs. PA

Hershey, 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 Hershey is $396,886.

  • The Median Rent in Hershey is $1,241.

  • The Median Income in Hershey is $78,750.

  • The Home Value To Income in Hershey is 5.0x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Hershey is 0.19x.

Statistic Hershey Pennsylvania United States
Median Home Value $396,886 $281,782 $303,400
Median Rent $1,241 $1,162 $1,348
Median Income $78,750 $76,081 $78,538
Home Value To Income 5.0x 3.7x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.19x 0.18x 0.21x
$396,886
Median Home Value
$1,241
Median Rent
$78,750
Median Income

Hershey, PA Costs By Category

Detailed Hershey Services Costs Vs. Pennsylvania

Item Hershey 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 Hershey Groceries Costs Vs. Pennsylvania

Item Hershey 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 Hershey Health Costs Vs. Pennsylvania

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

Detailed Hershey Transportation Costs Vs. Pennsylvania

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

Detailed Hershey Utilities Costs Vs. Pennsylvania

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

Hershey SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
8.5
Affordability
6
Diversity
8
Safety
N/A
Amenities
8
Education
8
Commute
9

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Hershey

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

  • Fredericksburg, TX has a cost of living index of 113, 1.0x Hershey.

  • Progress, PA has a cost of living index of 102, 0.9x Hershey.

  • Lititz, PA has a cost of living index of 104, 0.9x Hershey.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Hershey
Fredericksburg, TX 11,254 113 1.0x
Progress, PA 11,143 102 0.9x
Lititz, PA 9,599 104 0.9x
Camp Hill, PA 8,149 110 1.0x
Palmyra, PA 7,769 101 0.9x
Middletown, PA 7,620 93 0.8x
Lower Allen, PA 7,582 101 0.9x
New Cumberland, PA 7,531 99 0.9x
Rutherford, PA 6,982 100 0.9x
Linglestown, PA 6,747 106 0.9x

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