Cost of living in Williamsport 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 Williamsport 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 Williamsport is 89, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Williamsport is 0.9x lower than the national average.
Williamsport ranks as the #50 cheapest in Pennsylvania out of 255.
Williamsport ranks as the #1,060 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Williamsport is $200,403.
The median income in Williamsport is $49,363.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Williamsport has an overall cost of living index of 89, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Pennsylvania, Williamsport has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Pennsylvania's index of 100.
The standard of living in Williamsport ranks as #50 most affordable out of the 255 places we measured in Pennsylvania. By definition, that implies Williamsport ranks as the #205 most expensive place in the Keystone State.
For more reading on life in Williamsport, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Williamsport. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Williamsport is 94.
The Groceries index in Williamsport is 101.
The Health index in Williamsport is 93.
The Housing index in Williamsport is 65.
The Transportation index in Williamsport is 109.
The Utilities index in Williamsport is 107.
| Living Expense | Williamsport | Pennsylvania | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 89 | 100 | 100 | |
| Services | 94 | 101 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 101 | 101 | 100 | |
| Health | 93 | 95 | 100 | |
| Housing | 65 | 93 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 109 | 108 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 107 | 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 Williamsport is $200,403.
The Median Rent in Williamsport is $825.
The Median Income in Williamsport is $49,363.
The Home Value To Income in Williamsport is 4.1x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Williamsport is 0.2x.
| Statistic | Williamsport | Pennsylvania | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $200,403 | $281,782 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $825 | $1,162 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $49,363 | $76,081 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 4.1x | 3.7x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.2x | 0.18x | 0.21x |
| Item | Williamsport | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.38 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $9.9 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $17.39 | $18 |
| Haircut | $24.86 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $36.67 | $45.56 |
| Item | Williamsport | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.93 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.53 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.58 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.36 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $10.88 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $13.28 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.65 | $3.7 |
| Item | Williamsport | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $83.44 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $105.97 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $109.14 | $113.29 |
| Item | Williamsport | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.69 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $67.65 | $59.92 |
| Item | Williamsport | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $207.34 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $195.27 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Williamsport. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Bloomsburg, PA has a cost of living index of 97, 1.1x Williamsport.
Berwick, PA has a cost of living index of 89, 1.0x Williamsport.
Lock Haven, PA has a cost of living index of 92, 1.0x Williamsport.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Williamsport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bloomsburg, PA | 12,906 | 97 | 1.1x |
| Berwick, PA | 10,291 | 89 | 1.0x |
| Lock Haven, PA | 8,386 | 92 | 1.0x |
| Shamokin, PA | 6,890 | 81 | 0.9x |
| Milton, PA | 6,582 | 92 | 1.0x |
| South Williamsport, PA | 6,216 | 93 | 1.0x |
| Bellefonte, PA | 6,022 | 102 | 1.1x |
| Mount Carmel, PA | 5,695 | 83 | 0.9x |
| Selinsgrove, PA | 5,655 | 98 | 1.1x |
| Lewisburg, PA | 5,247 | 103 | 1.2x |