West Chester, PA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In West Chester, PA Summary

Cost of living in West Chester 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 West Chester 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 West Chester is 124, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in West Chester is 1.2x higher than the national average.

  • West Chester ranks as the #229 cheapest in Pennsylvania out of 247.

  • West Chester ranks as the #4,999 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in West Chester is $406,400.

  • The median income in West Chester is $65,027.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
124
West Chester's Overall Cost Of Living
1.2x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in West Chester, PA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, West Chester has an overall cost of living index of 124, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Pennsylvania, West Chester has a cost of living index that's 1.3x higher than Pennsylvania's index of 97.

The standard of living in West Chester ranks as #229 most affordable out of the 247 places we measured in Pennsylvania. By definition, that implies West Chester ranks as the #18 most expensive place in the Keystone State.

For more reading on life in West Chester, check out:

229 out of 247
In Pennsylvania
4,999 out of 6,412
In America

West Chester Cost Of Living Vs. Pennsylvania

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

  • The Services index in West Chester is 111.

  • The Groceries index in West Chester is 124.

  • The Health index in West Chester is 116.

  • The Housing index in West Chester is 160.

  • The Transportation index in West Chester is 115.

  • The Utilities index in West Chester is 87.

Living Expense West Chester Pennsylvania National Average
Overall 124 97 100
Services 111 99 100
Groceries 124 101 100
Health 116 97 100
Housing 160 85 100
Transportation 115 105 100
Utilities 87 106 100
For more reading on cost of living around Pennsylvania, check out:
West Chester Cost of Living Vs. PA

West Chester, PA Housing Cost Breakdown

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 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in West Chester is $406,400.

  • The Median Rent in West Chester is $1,387.

  • The Median Income in West Chester is $65,027.

  • The Home Value To Income in West Chester is 6.2x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in West Chester is 0.26x.

Statistic West Chester Pennsylvania United States
Median Home Value $406,400 $197,300 $244,900
Median Rent $1,387 $1,013 $1,163
Median Income $65,027 $67,587 $69,021
Home Value To Income 6.2x 2.9x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.26x 0.18x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In West Chester, PA
$406,400
Median Home Value
$1,387
Median Rent
$65,027
Median Income

West Chester, PA Costs By Category

Detailed West Chester Services Costs Vs. Pennsylvania

Item West Chester Pennsylvania
Shampoo $1.13 $1.06
Movie $12.88 $10.68
Bowling $16.5 $14.67
Haircut $21.56 $18.62
Beauty Salon $40.11 $39.05

Detailed West Chester Groceries Costs Vs. Pennsylvania

Item West Chester Pennsylvania
Ground Beef $4.69 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.91 $1.39
Milk $2.54 $2.05
Potatoes $4.51 $3.29
Pizza $9.74 $10.62
Beer $8.74 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.86 $2.34

Detailed West Chester Health Costs Vs. Pennsylvania

Item West Chester Pennsylvania
Optometrist $102.08 $108.57
Doctor $109.17 $116.17
Dentist $133.33 $99.13

Detailed West Chester Transportation Costs Vs. Pennsylvania

Item West Chester Pennsylvania
Gasoline $2.16 $2.22
Tire Balancing $73.33 $50.07

Detailed West Chester Utilities Costs Vs. Pennsylvania

Item West Chester Pennsylvania
All Electricity $129.7 $167.67
Phone $176.59 $175.64

West Chester SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
6/10
Housing
9
Affordability
4
Diversity
8.5
Safety
N/A
Amenities
9.5
Education
8.5
Commute
8

Cost Of Living In Cities Around West Chester

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

  • Phoenixville, PA has a cost of living index of 113, 0.9x West Chester.

  • Ardmore, PA has a cost of living index of 126, 1.0x West Chester.

  • Conshohocken, PA has a cost of living index of 124, 1.0x West Chester.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. West Chester
Phoenixville, PA 18,437 113 0.9x
Ardmore, PA 14,391 126 1.0x
Conshohocken, PA 9,104 124 1.0x
Audubon, PA 8,883 131 1.1x
Lionville, PA 6,662 121 1.0x
Swarthmore, PA 6,560 131 1.1x
Penn Wynne, PA 6,226 130 1.0x
Exton, PA 6,095 125 1.0x
Paoli, PA 5,838 125 1.0x
Trooper, PA 5,216 123 1.0x

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