Fairfax, CA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Fairfax, CA Summary

Cost of living in Fairfax 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 Fairfax 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 Fairfax is 193, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Fairfax is 1.9x higher than the national average.

  • Fairfax ranks as the #562 cheapest in California out of 635.

  • Fairfax ranks as the #6,290 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Fairfax is $905,300.

  • The median income in Fairfax is $111,290.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
193
Fairfax's Overall Cost Of Living
1.9x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Fairfax, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Fairfax has an overall cost of living index of 193, which is 1.9x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, Fairfax has a cost of living index that's 1.4x higher than California's index of 139.

The standard of living in Fairfax ranks as #562 most affordable out of the 635 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Fairfax ranks as the #73 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Fairfax, check out:

562 out of 635
In California
6,290 out of 6,412
In America

Fairfax Cost Of Living Vs. California

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

  • The Services index in Fairfax is 126.

  • The Groceries index in Fairfax is 132.

  • The Health index in Fairfax is 126.

  • The Housing index in Fairfax is 331.

  • The Transportation index in Fairfax is 150.

  • The Utilities index in Fairfax is 139.

Living Expense Fairfax California National Average
Overall 193 139 100
Services 126 110 100
Groceries 132 112 100
Health 126 109 100
Housing 331 204 100
Transportation 150 126 100
Utilities 139 124 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Fairfax Cost of Living Vs. CA

Fairfax, 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 Fairfax is $905,300.

  • The Median Rent in Fairfax is $2,125.

  • The Median Income in Fairfax is $111,290.

  • The Home Value To Income in Fairfax is 8.1x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Fairfax is 0.23x.

Statistic Fairfax California United States
Median Home Value $905,300 $573,200 $244,900
Median Rent $2,125 $1,698 $1,163
Median Income $111,290 $84,097 $69,021
Home Value To Income 8.1x 6.8x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.23x 0.24x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Fairfax, CA
$905,300
Median Home Value
$2,125
Median Rent
$111,290
Median Income

Fairfax, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Fairfax Services Costs Vs. California

Item Fairfax California
Shampoo $1.35 $1.06
Movie $16.41 $10.68
Bowling $20.0 $14.67
Haircut $22.38 $18.62
Beauty Salon $82.05 $39.05

Detailed Fairfax Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Fairfax California
Ground Beef $3.64 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.8 $1.39
Milk $2.83 $2.05
Potatoes $3.42 $3.29
Pizza $13.47 $10.62
Beer $10.5 $9.38
Toothpaste $3.18 $2.34

Detailed Fairfax Health Costs Vs. California

Item Fairfax California
Optometrist $144.57 $108.57
Doctor $149.63 $116.17
Dentist $132.68 $99.13

Detailed Fairfax Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Fairfax California
Gasoline $3.46 $2.22
Tire Balancing $65.51 $50.07

Detailed Fairfax Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Fairfax California
All Electricity $267.84 $167.67
Phone $198.18 $175.64

Fairfax SnackAbility

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

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Fairfax

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

  • San Rafael, CA has a cost of living index of 192, 1.0x Fairfax.

  • Petaluma, CA has a cost of living index of 161, 0.8x Fairfax.

  • Hercules, CA has a cost of living index of 155, 0.8x Fairfax.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Fairfax
San Rafael, CA 61,158 192 1.0x
Petaluma, CA 60,050 161 0.8x
Hercules, CA 26,050 155 0.8x
Mill Valley, CA 14,240 246 1.3x
Larkspur, CA 12,972 238 1.2x
San Anselmo, CA 12,795 213 1.1x
Tamalpais-Homestead Valley, CA 12,535 234 1.2x
Corte Madera, CA 10,145 233 1.2x
Kentfield, CA 7,517 300 1.6x
Lucas Valley-Marinwood, CA 6,546 207 1.1x

Articles About California

Enjoy The Snack?