Medford, MA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Medford, MA Summary

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

On a city-by-city basis in Massachusetts, 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 Medford is 147, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Medford is 1.5x higher than the national average.

  • Medford ranks as the #84 cheapest in Massachusetts out of 113.

  • Medford ranks as the #5,771 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Medford is $588,100.

  • The median income in Medford is $107,853.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
147
Medford's Overall Cost Of Living
1.5x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Medford, MA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Medford has an overall cost of living index of 147, which is 1.5x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Massachusetts, Medford has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Massachusetts's index of 143.

The standard of living in Medford ranks as #84 most affordable out of the 113 places we measured in Massachusetts. By definition, that implies Medford ranks as the #29 most expensive place in the Bay State.

For more reading on life in Medford, check out:

84 out of 113
In Massachusetts
5,771 out of 6,412
In America

Medford Cost Of Living Vs. Massachusetts

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

  • The Services index in Medford is 128.

  • The Groceries index in Medford is 113.

  • The Health index in Medford is 121.

  • The Housing index in Medford is 206.

  • The Transportation index in Medford is 110.

  • The Utilities index in Medford is 121.

Living Expense Medford Massachusetts National Average
Overall 147 143 100
Services 128 126 100
Groceries 113 108 100
Health 121 117 100
Housing 206 202 100
Transportation 110 114 100
Utilities 121 123 100
For more reading on cost of living around Massachusetts, check out:
Medford Cost of Living Vs. MA

Medford, MA Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Massachusetts, 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 Medford is $588,100.

  • The Median Rent in Medford is $2,116.

  • The Median Income in Medford is $107,853.

  • The Home Value To Income in Medford is 5.5x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Medford is 0.24x.

Statistic Medford Massachusetts United States
Median Home Value $588,100 $424,700 $244,900
Median Rent $2,116 $1,429 $1,163
Median Income $107,853 $89,026 $69,021
Home Value To Income 5.5x 4.8x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.24x 0.19x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Medford, MA
$588,100
Median Home Value
$2,116
Median Rent
$107,853
Median Income

Medford, MA Costs By Category

Detailed Medford Services Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Medford Massachusetts
Shampoo $1.0 $1.06
Movie $14.43 $10.68
Bowling $21.0 $14.67
Haircut $34.97 $18.62
Beauty Salon $64.17 $39.05

Detailed Medford Groceries Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Medford Massachusetts
Ground Beef $3.74 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.64 $1.39
Milk $2.27 $2.05
Potatoes $4.02 $3.29
Pizza $11.16 $10.62
Beer $9.29 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.3 $2.34

Detailed Medford Health Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Medford Massachusetts
Optometrist $102.75 $108.57
Doctor $194.0 $116.17
Dentist $108.27 $99.13

Detailed Medford Transportation Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Medford Massachusetts
Gasoline $2.19 $2.22
Tire Balancing $64.47 $50.07

Detailed Medford Utilities Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Medford Massachusetts
All Electricity $233.87 $167.67
Phone $181.11 $175.64

Medford SnackAbility

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

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Medford

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

  • Cambridge, MA has a cost of living index of 172, 1.2x Medford.

  • Newton, MA has a cost of living index of 192, 1.3x Medford.

  • Somerville, MA has a cost of living index of 158, 1.1x Medford.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Medford
Cambridge, MA 116,892 172 1.2x
Newton, MA 88,647 192 1.3x
Somerville, MA 80,608 158 1.1x
Malden, MA 65,602 137 0.9x
Brookline, MA 62,620 191 1.3x
Everett, MA 48,368 137 0.9x
Arlington, MA 46,045 162 1.1x
Chelsea, MA 40,025 127 0.9x
Lexington, MA 34,235 190 1.3x
Needham, MA 31,808 180 1.2x

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