Cost of living in Summerville 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 Summerville 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 Summerville is 106, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Summerville is 1.1x higher than the national average.
Summerville ranks as the #78 cheapest in South Carolina out of 99.
Summerville ranks as the #3,278 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Summerville is $381,194.
The median income in Summerville is $78,621.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Summerville has an overall cost of living index of 106, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to South Carolina, Summerville has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than South Carolina's index of 93.
The standard of living in Summerville ranks as #78 most affordable out of the 99 places we measured in South Carolina. By definition, that implies Summerville ranks as the #21 most expensive place in the Palmetto State.
For more reading on life in Summerville, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Summerville. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Summerville is 98.
The Groceries index in Summerville is 103.
The Health index in Summerville is 90.
The Housing index in Summerville is 117.
The Transportation index in Summerville is 90.
The Utilities index in Summerville is 119.
| Living Expense | Summerville | South Carolina | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 106 | 93 | 100 | |
| Services | 98 | 102 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 103 | 97 | 100 | |
| Health | 90 | 92 | 100 | |
| Housing | 117 | 81 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 90 | 92 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 119 | 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 Summerville is $381,194.
The Median Rent in Summerville is $1,414.
The Median Income in Summerville is $78,621.
The Home Value To Income in Summerville is 4.8x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Summerville is 0.22x.
| Statistic | Summerville | South Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $381,194 | $302,294 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,414 | $1,126 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $78,621 | $66,818 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 4.8x | 4.5x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.22x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
| Item | Summerville | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.38 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $11.3 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $19.43 | $18 |
| Haircut | $26.38 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $56.15 | $45.56 |
| Item | Summerville | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $6.22 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.67 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.59 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.51 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $10.83 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.61 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.77 | $3.7 |
| Item | Summerville | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $78.1 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $137.5 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $97.17 | $113.29 |
| Item | Summerville | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.18 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $46.64 | $59.92 |
| Item | Summerville | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $258.5 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $194.25 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Summerville. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Charleston, SC has a cost of living index of 123, 1.2x Summerville.
North Charleston, SC has a cost of living index of 101, 1.0x Summerville.
Goose Creek, SC has a cost of living index of 106, 1.0x Summerville.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Summerville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston, SC | 152,014 | 123 | 1.2x |
| North Charleston, SC | 117,460 | 101 | 1.0x |
| Goose Creek, SC | 46,964 | 106 | 1.0x |
| Hanahan, SC | 21,119 | 111 | 1.0x |
| Ladson, SC | 16,261 | 101 | 1.0x |
| Moncks Corner, SC | 14,362 | 99 | 0.9x |
| Sangaree, SC | 8,517 | 98 | 0.9x |