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 108, 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 97.
The standard of living in Hershey ranks as #198 most affordable out of the 253 places we measured in Pennsylvania. By definition, that implies Hershey ranks as the #55 most expensive place in the Keystone State.
For more reading on life in Hershey, check out:
Hershey Cost Of Living Vs. Pennsylvania
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Hershey. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Hershey is 97.
The Groceries index in Hershey is 97.
The Health index in Hershey is 126.
The Housing index in Hershey is 98.
The Transportation index in Hershey is 97.
The Utilities index in Hershey is 97.
| Living Expense | Hershey | Pennsylvania | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 108 | 97 | 100 |
| Services | 97 | 99 | 100 |
| Groceries | 97 | 100 | 100 |
| Health | 126 | 88 | 100 |
| Housing | 98 | 102 | 100 |
| Transportation | 97 | 100 | 100 |
| Utilities | 97 | 101 | 100 |
Hershey Cost Of Living Compared To Pennsylvania Averages
Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.
For more reading on cost of living around Pennsylvania, check out:
- Most Expensive Cities In Pennsylvania
- Most Affordable Cities In Pennsylvania
- Average Rent In Pennsylvania
Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100
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 2020-2024. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Hershey is $402,019.
The Median Rent in Hershey is $1,268.
The Median Income in Hershey is $78,587.
The Home Value To Income in Hershey is 5.1x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Hershey is 0.19x.
| Statistic | Hershey | Pennsylvania | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $402,019 | $282,735 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $1,268 | $1,209 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $78,587 | $77,971 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 5.1x | 3.6x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.19x | 0.19x | 0.21x |
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
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 112, 1.0x Hershey.
Progress, PA has a cost of living index of 97, 0.9x Hershey.
Lititz, PA has a cost of living index of 104, 1.0x Hershey.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Hershey |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fredericksburg, TX | 11,419 | 112 | 1.0x |
| Progress, PA | 11,017 | 97 | 0.9x |
| Lititz, PA | 9,619 | 104 | 1.0x |
| Camp Hill, PA | 8,169 | 105 | 1.0x |
| Palmyra, PA | 7,755 | 96 | 0.9x |
| Lower Allen, PA | 7,646 | 99 | 0.9x |
| Middletown, PA | 7,628 | 92 | 0.9x |
| New Cumberland, PA | 7,580 | 100 | 0.9x |
| Linglestown, PA | 6,957 | 105 | 1.0x |
| Rutherford, PA | 6,890 | 97 | 0.9x |
