Cost of living in Marion 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 Marion is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in South Carolina, 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 Marion is 90, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Marion is 0.9x lower than the national average.
Marion ranks as the #19 cheapest in South Carolina out of 99.
Marion ranks as the #1,206 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Marion is $122,574.
The median income in Marion is $27,767.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Marion has an overall cost of living index of 90, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to South Carolina, Marion has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than South Carolina's index of 93.
The standard of living in Marion ranks as #19 most affordable out of the 99 places we measured in South Carolina. By definition, that implies Marion ranks as the #80 most expensive place in the Palmetto State.
For more reading on life in Marion, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Marion. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Marion is 98.
The Groceries index in Marion is 100.
The Health index in Marion is 88.
The Housing index in Marion is 60.
The Transportation index in Marion is 82.
The Utilities index in Marion is 129.
| Living Expense | Marion | South Carolina | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 90 | 93 | 100 | |
| Services | 98 | 102 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 100 | 97 | 100 | |
| Health | 88 | 92 | 100 | |
| Housing | 60 | 81 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 82 | 92 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 129 | 109 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in South Carolina, 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 Marion is $122,574.
The Median Rent in Marion is $624.
The Median Income in Marion is $27,767.
The Home Value To Income in Marion is 4.4x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Marion is 0.27x.
| Statistic | Marion | South Carolina | United States | 
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $122,574 | $302,294 | $303,400 | 
| Median Rent | $624 | $1,126 | $1,348 | 
| Median Income | $27,767 | $66,818 | $78,538 | 
| Home Value To Income | 4.4x | 4.5x | 3.9x | 
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.27x | 0.2x | 0.21x | 
| Item | Marion | South Carolina | 
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.33 | $1.28 | 
| Movie | $12.93 | $12.13 | 
| Bowling | $24.33 | $18 | 
| Haircut | $20.75 | $24.26 | 
| Beauty Salon | $30.56 | $45.56 | 
| Item | Marion | South Carolina | 
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $6.15 | $5.84 | 
| Fried Chicken | $1.67 | $1.57 | 
| Milk | $4.61 | $4.67 | 
| Potatoes | $5.5 | $4.93 | 
| Pizza | $10.35 | $12.09 | 
| Beer | $10.53 | $10.41 | 
| Toothpaste | $3.65 | $3.7 | 
| Item | Marion | South Carolina | 
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $59.0 | $125.68 | 
| Doctor | $150.0 | $135.78 | 
| Dentist | $78.33 | $113.29 | 
| Item | Marion | South Carolina | 
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.22 | $3.46 | 
| Tire Balancing | $32.03 | $59.92 | 
| Item | Marion | South Carolina | 
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $290.58 | $193.99 | 
| Phone | $192.75 | $192.25 | 
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Marion. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Florence, SC has a cost of living index of 96, 1.1x Marion.
Myrtle Beach, SC has a cost of living index of 107, 1.2x Marion.
Conway, SC has a cost of living index of 97, 1.1x Marion.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Marion | 
|---|---|---|---|
| Florence, SC | 40,205 | 96 | 1.1x | 
| Myrtle Beach, SC | 37,214 | 107 | 1.2x | 
| Conway, SC | 26,082 | 97 | 1.1x | 
| Socastee, SC | 24,629 | 96 | 1.1x | 
| North Myrtle Beach, SC | 19,343 | 110 | 1.2x | 
| Red Hill, SC | 16,480 | 101 | 1.1x | 
| Laurinburg, NC | 15,079 | 86 | 1.0x | 
| Little River, SC | 10,457 | 100 | 1.1x | 
| Murrells Inlet, SC | 10,087 | 111 | 1.2x | 
| Hartsville, SC | 7,422 | 91 | 1.0x |