Poway, CA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In Poway, CA Summary

Cost of living in Poway 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 Poway is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in California, 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 Poway is 160, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Poway is 1.6x higher than the national average.

  • Poway ranks as the #461 cheapest in California out of 635.

  • Poway ranks as the #6,005 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Poway is $766,700.

  • The median income in Poway is $119,847.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
160
Poway's Overall Cost Of Living
1.6x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Poway, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Poway has an overall cost of living index of 160, which is 1.6x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, Poway has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than California's index of 139.

The standard of living in Poway ranks as #461 most affordable out of the 635 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Poway ranks as the #174 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Poway, check out:

461 out of 635
In California
6,005 out of 6,412
In America

Poway Cost Of Living Vs. California

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Poway. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Poway is 112.

  • The Groceries index in Poway is 115.

  • The Health index in Poway is 108.

  • The Housing index in Poway is 266.

  • The Transportation index in Poway is 135.

  • The Utilities index in Poway is 124.

Living Expense Poway California National Average
Overall 160 139 100
Services 112 110 100
Groceries 115 112 100
Health 108 109 100
Housing 266 204 100
Transportation 135 126 100
Utilities 124 124 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Poway Cost of Living Vs. CA

Poway, CA Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in California, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Poway is $766,700.

  • The Median Rent in Poway is $1,838.

  • The Median Income in Poway is $119,847.

  • The Home Value To Income in Poway is 6.4x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Poway is 0.18x.

Statistic Poway California United States
Median Home Value $766,700 $573,200 $244,900
Median Rent $1,838 $1,698 $1,163
Median Income $119,847 $84,097 $69,021
Home Value To Income 6.4x 6.8x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.18x 0.24x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Poway, CA
$766,700
Median Home Value
$1,838
Median Rent
$119,847
Median Income

Poway, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Poway Services Costs Vs. California

Item Poway California
Shampoo $1.2 $1.06
Movie $14.42 $10.68
Bowling $22.0 $14.67
Haircut $22.68 $18.62
Beauty Salon $64.57 $39.05

Detailed Poway Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Poway California
Ground Beef $4.58 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.72 $1.39
Milk $2.19 $2.05
Potatoes $2.99 $3.29
Pizza $11.43 $10.62
Beer $9.82 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.48 $2.34

Detailed Poway Health Costs Vs. California

Item Poway California
Optometrist $117.65 $108.57
Doctor $125.0 $116.17
Dentist $107.18 $99.13

Detailed Poway Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Poway California
Gasoline $3.24 $2.22
Tire Balancing $56.47 $50.07

Detailed Poway Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Poway California
All Electricity $247.56 $167.67
Phone $176.01 $175.64

Poway SnackAbility

9
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
9.5
Affordability
6
Diversity
9
Safety
8.5
Amenities
8.5
Education
8.5
Commute
7

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Poway

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Poway. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • San Diego, CA has a cost of living index of 150, 0.9x Poway.

  • Escondido, CA has a cost of living index of 136, 0.8x Poway.

  • Carlsbad, CA has a cost of living index of 175, 1.1x Poway.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Poway
San Diego, CA 1,385,398 150 0.9x
Escondido, CA 151,443 136 0.8x
Carlsbad, CA 114,858 175 1.1x
San Marcos, CA 94,313 143 0.9x
Encinitas, CA 62,140 193 1.2x
Santee, CA 59,679 136 0.8x
La Presa, CA 38,492 128 0.8x
Lemon Grove, CA 27,513 133 0.8x
Rancho San Diego, CA 22,019 158 1.0x
Winter Gardens, CA 21,978 132 0.8x

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