Cost of living in Arlington 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 Arlington is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Texas, 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 Arlington is 107, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Arlington is 1.1x higher than the national average.
Arlington ranks as the #293 cheapest in Texas out of 414.
Arlington ranks as the #3,374 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Arlington is $307,003.
The median income in Arlington is $73,519.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Arlington has an overall cost of living index of 107, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Texas, Arlington has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than Texas's index of 92.
The standard of living in Arlington ranks as #293 most affordable out of the 414 places we measured in Texas. By definition, that implies Arlington ranks as the #121 most expensive place in the Lone Star State.
For more reading on life in Arlington, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Arlington. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Arlington is 110.
The Groceries index in Arlington is 100.
The Health index in Arlington is 109.
The Housing index in Arlington is 107.
The Transportation index in Arlington is 91.
The Utilities index in Arlington is 109.
| Living Expense | Arlington | Texas | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 107 | 92 | 100 | |
| Services | 110 | 97 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 100 | 97 | 100 | |
| Health | 109 | 93 | 100 | |
| Housing | 107 | 82 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 91 | 94 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 109 | 104 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Texas, 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 Arlington is $307,003.
The Median Rent in Arlington is $1,389.
The Median Income in Arlington is $73,519.
The Home Value To Income in Arlington is 4.2x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Arlington is 0.23x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Arlington. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Grand Prairie, TX has a cost of living index of 106, 1.0x Arlington.
Mansfield, TX has a cost of living index of 119, 1.1x Arlington.
North Richland Hills, TX has a cost of living index of 110, 1.0x Arlington.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Arlington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Prairie, TX | 198,564 | 106 | 1.0x |
| Mansfield, TX | 75,398 | 119 | 1.1x |
| North Richland Hills, TX | 70,338 | 110 | 1.0x |
| Grapevine, TX | 50,875 | 126 | 1.2x |
| Bedford, TX | 49,191 | 111 | 1.0x |
| Keller, TX | 45,598 | 134 | 1.3x |
| Coppell, TX | 42,029 | 135 | 1.3x |
| Hurst, TX | 39,912 | 109 | 1.0x |
| Southlake, TX | 31,044 | 163 | 1.5x |
| Colleyville, TX | 25,906 | 157 | 1.5x |