Downey, CA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Downey, CA Summary

Cost of living in Downey 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 Downey 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 Downey is 144, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Downey is 1.4x higher than the national average.

  • Downey ranks as the #386 cheapest in California out of 635.

  • Downey ranks as the #5,704 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Downey is $608,600.

  • The median income in Downey is $77,972.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
144
Downey's Overall Cost Of Living
1.4x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Downey, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Downey has an overall cost of living index of 144, which is 1.4x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, Downey has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than California's index of 139.

The standard of living in Downey ranks as #386 most affordable out of the 635 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Downey ranks as the #249 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Downey, check out:

386 out of 635
In California
5,704 out of 6,412
In America

Downey Cost Of Living Vs. California

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

  • The Services index in Downey is 117.

  • The Groceries index in Downey is 116.

  • The Health index in Downey is 112.

  • The Housing index in Downey is 213.

  • The Transportation index in Downey is 134.

  • The Utilities index in Downey is 107.

Living Expense Downey California National Average
Overall 144 139 100
Services 117 110 100
Groceries 116 112 100
Health 112 109 100
Housing 213 204 100
Transportation 134 126 100
Utilities 107 124 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Downey Cost of Living Vs. CA

Downey, 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 Downey is $608,600.

  • The Median Rent in Downey is $1,676.

  • The Median Income in Downey is $77,972.

  • The Home Value To Income in Downey is 7.8x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Downey is 0.26x.

Statistic Downey California United States
Median Home Value $608,600 $573,200 $244,900
Median Rent $1,676 $1,698 $1,163
Median Income $77,972 $84,097 $69,021
Home Value To Income 7.8x 6.8x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.26x 0.24x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Downey, CA
$608,600
Median Home Value
$1,676
Median Rent
$77,972
Median Income

Downey, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Downey Services Costs Vs. California

Item Downey California
Shampoo $1.17 $1.06
Movie $16.3 $10.68
Bowling $21.33 $14.67
Haircut $22.57 $18.62
Beauty Salon $76.5 $39.05

Detailed Downey Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Downey California
Ground Beef $4.58 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.72 $1.39
Milk $2.19 $2.05
Potatoes $2.99 $3.29
Pizza $11.66 $10.62
Beer $9.82 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.51 $2.34

Detailed Downey Health Costs Vs. California

Item Downey California
Optometrist $125.58 $108.57
Doctor $125.0 $116.17
Dentist $110.78 $99.13

Detailed Downey Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Downey California
Gasoline $3.31 $2.22
Tire Balancing $50.62 $50.07

Detailed Downey Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Downey California
All Electricity $185.68 $167.67
Phone $189.51 $175.64

Downey SnackAbility

8
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
9.5
Affordability
4
Diversity
8
Safety
6
Amenities
10
Education
6
Commute
4

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Downey

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

  • Norwalk, CA has a cost of living index of 130, 0.9x Downey.

  • South Gate, CA has a cost of living index of 130, 0.9x Downey.

  • Lakewood, CA has a cost of living index of 143, 1.0x Downey.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Downey
Norwalk, CA 103,330 130 0.9x
South Gate, CA 93,308 130 0.9x
Lakewood, CA 82,419 143 1.0x
Bellflower, CA 79,070 133 0.9x
Lynwood, CA 67,497 127 0.9x
Paramount, CA 53,904 126 0.9x
Cypress, CA 50,279 154 1.1x
La Mirada, CA 47,957 147 1.0x
Bell Gardens, CA 39,870 130 0.9x
Bell, CA 33,915 129 0.9x

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