Plainfield, NJ Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Plainfield, NJ Summary

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

On a city-by-city basis in New Jersey, 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 Plainfield is 114, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Plainfield is 1.1x higher than the national average.

  • Plainfield ranks as the #55 cheapest in New Jersey out of 251.

  • Plainfield ranks as the #4,427 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Plainfield is $287,300.

  • The median income in Plainfield is $63,750.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
114
Plainfield's Overall Cost Of Living
1.1x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Plainfield, NJ?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Plainfield has an overall cost of living index of 114, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to New Jersey, Plainfield has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than New Jersey's index of 111.

The standard of living in Plainfield ranks as #55 most affordable out of the 251 places we measured in New Jersey. By definition, that implies Plainfield ranks as the #196 most expensive place in the Garden State.

For more reading on life in Plainfield, check out:

55 out of 251
In New Jersey
4,427 out of 6,412
In America

Plainfield Cost Of Living Vs. New Jersey

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

  • The Services index in Plainfield is 111.

  • The Groceries index in Plainfield is 107.

  • The Health index in Plainfield is 103.

  • The Housing index in Plainfield is 124.

  • The Transportation index in Plainfield is 105.

  • The Utilities index in Plainfield is 104.

Living Expense Plainfield New Jersey National Average
Overall 114 111 100
Services 111 104 100
Groceries 107 104 100
Health 103 95 100
Housing 124 130 100
Transportation 105 106 100
Utilities 104 108 100
For more reading on cost of living around New Jersey, check out:
Plainfield Cost of Living Vs. NJ

Plainfield, NJ Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in New Jersey, 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 Plainfield is $287,300.

  • The Median Rent in Plainfield is $1,355.

  • The Median Income in Plainfield is $63,750.

  • The Home Value To Income in Plainfield is 4.5x.

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

Statistic Plainfield New Jersey United States
Median Home Value $287,300 $355,700 $244,900
Median Rent $1,355 $1,436 $1,163
Median Income $63,750 $89,703 $69,021
Home Value To Income 4.5x 4.0x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.26x 0.19x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Plainfield, NJ
$287,300
Median Home Value
$1,355
Median Rent
$63,750
Median Income

Plainfield, NJ Costs By Category

Detailed Plainfield Services Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Plainfield New Jersey
Shampoo $1.03 $1.06
Movie $12.59 $10.68
Bowling $17.73 $14.67
Haircut $20.73 $18.62
Beauty Salon $36.4 $39.05

Detailed Plainfield Groceries Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Plainfield New Jersey
Ground Beef $3.87 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.67 $1.39
Milk $2.41 $2.05
Potatoes $3.09 $3.29
Pizza $11.4 $10.62
Beer $9.19 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.16 $2.34

Detailed Plainfield Health Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Plainfield New Jersey
Optometrist $101.33 $108.57
Doctor $94.5 $116.17
Dentist $113.15 $99.13

Detailed Plainfield Transportation Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Plainfield New Jersey
Gasoline $2.26 $2.22
Tire Balancing $56.66 $50.07

Detailed Plainfield Utilities Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Plainfield New Jersey
All Electricity $174.26 $167.67
Phone $179.87 $175.64

Plainfield SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
6/10
Housing
8.5
Affordability
4
Diversity
9.5
Safety
6
Amenities
10
Education
5
Commute
4

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Plainfield

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

  • Westfield, NJ has a cost of living index of 170, 1.5x Plainfield.

  • South Plainfield, NJ has a cost of living index of 126, 1.1x Plainfield.

  • North Plainfield, NJ has a cost of living index of 119, 1.0x Plainfield.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Plainfield
Westfield, NJ 30,950 170 1.5x
South Plainfield, NJ 24,251 126 1.1x
North Plainfield, NJ 22,635 119 1.0x
Colonia, NJ 18,776 127 1.1x
Bradley Gardens, NJ 14,798 144 1.3x
Middlesex, NJ 14,513 123 1.1x
Florham Park, NJ 12,655 165 1.4x
Martinsville, NJ 11,980 155 1.4x
Boonton, NJ 8,770 126 1.1x
Fanwood, NJ 7,727 149 1.3x

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