Cost of living in Berkeley 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 Berkeley is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Illinois, 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 Berkeley is 105, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Berkeley is 1.1x higher than the national average.
Berkeley ranks as the #204 cheapest in Illinois out of 338.
Berkeley ranks as the #3,676 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.
The median home value in Berkeley is $185,200.
The median income in Berkeley is $73,812.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Berkeley has an overall cost of living index of 105, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Illinois, Berkeley has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Illinois's index of 92.
The standard of living in Berkeley ranks as #204 most affordable out of the 338 places we measured in Illinois. By definition, that implies Berkeley ranks as the #134 most expensive place in the Prairie State.
For more reading on life in Berkeley, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Berkeley. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Berkeley is 112.
The Groceries index in Berkeley is 107.
The Health index in Berkeley is 99.
The Housing index in Berkeley is 95.
The Transportation index in Berkeley is 112.
The Utilities index in Berkeley is 93.
Living Expense | Berkeley | Illinois | National Average | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Overall | 105 | 92 | 100 | |
Services | 112 | 95 | 100 | |
Groceries | 107 | 98 | 100 | |
Health | 99 | 96 | 100 | |
Housing | 95 | 81 | 100 | |
Transportation | 112 | 105 | 100 | |
Utilities | 93 | 90 | 100 |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Illinois, 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 Berkeley is $185,200.
The Median Rent in Berkeley is $985.
The Median Income in Berkeley is $73,812.
The Home Value To Income in Berkeley is 2.5x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Berkeley is 0.16x.
Statistic | Berkeley | Illinois | United States |
---|---|---|---|
Median Home Value | $185,200 | $212,600 | $244,900 |
Median Rent | $985 | $1,097 | $1,163 |
Median Income | $73,812 | $72,563 | $69,021 |
Home Value To Income | 2.5x | 2.9x | 3.5x |
Rent To Monthly Income | 0.16x | 0.18x | 0.2x |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Berkeley. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Glenview, IL has a cost of living index of 147, 1.4x Berkeley.
Elmhurst, IL has a cost of living index of 131, 1.2x Berkeley.
Buffalo Grove, IL has a cost of living index of 121, 1.2x Berkeley.
City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Berkeley |
---|---|---|---|
Glenview, IL | 48,150 | 147 | 1.4x |
Elmhurst, IL | 45,661 | 131 | 1.2x |
Buffalo Grove, IL | 43,062 | 121 | 1.2x |
Park Ridge, IL | 39,562 | 131 | 1.2x |
Northbrook, IL | 35,108 | 156 | 1.5x |
Wilmette, IL | 27,895 | 166 | 1.6x |
Melrose Park, IL | 25,417 | 105 | 1.0x |
Maywood, IL | 23,547 | 98 | 0.9x |
Villa Park, IL | 22,755 | 110 | 1.0x |
Deerfield, IL | 19,228 | 150 | 1.4x |