Harrisburg, PA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Harrisburg, PA Summary

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

On a city-by-city basis in Pennsylvania, 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 Harrisburg is 91, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Harrisburg is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • Harrisburg ranks as the #60 cheapest in Pennsylvania out of 247.

  • Harrisburg ranks as the #1,804 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Harrisburg is $95,300.

  • The median income in Harrisburg is $44,444.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
91
Harrisburg's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Harrisburg, PA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Harrisburg has an overall cost of living index of 91, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Pennsylvania, Harrisburg has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Pennsylvania's index of 97.

The standard of living in Harrisburg ranks as #60 most affordable out of the 247 places we measured in Pennsylvania. By definition, that implies Harrisburg ranks as the #187 most expensive place in the Keystone State.

For more reading on life in Harrisburg, check out:

60 out of 247
In Pennsylvania
1,804 out of 6,412
In America

Harrisburg Cost Of Living Vs. Pennsylvania

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

  • The Services index in Harrisburg is 100.

  • The Groceries index in Harrisburg is 100.

  • The Health index in Harrisburg is 92.

  • The Housing index in Harrisburg is 55.

  • The Transportation index in Harrisburg is 110.

  • The Utilities index in Harrisburg is 108.

Living Expense Harrisburg Pennsylvania National Average
Overall 91 97 100
Services 100 99 100
Groceries 100 101 100
Health 92 97 100
Housing 55 85 100
Transportation 110 105 100
Utilities 108 106 100
For more reading on cost of living around Pennsylvania, check out:
Harrisburg Cost of Living Vs. PA

Harrisburg, PA Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Pennsylvania, 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 Harrisburg is $95,300.

  • The Median Rent in Harrisburg is $867.

  • The Median Income in Harrisburg is $44,444.

  • The Home Value To Income in Harrisburg is 2.1x.

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

Statistic Harrisburg Pennsylvania United States
Median Home Value $95,300 $197,300 $244,900
Median Rent $867 $1,013 $1,163
Median Income $44,444 $67,587 $69,021
Home Value To Income 2.1x 2.9x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.23x 0.18x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Harrisburg, PA
$95,300
Median Home Value
$867
Median Rent
$44,444
Median Income

Harrisburg, PA Costs By Category

Detailed Harrisburg Services Costs Vs. Pennsylvania

Item Harrisburg Pennsylvania
Shampoo $1.18 $1.06
Movie $13.11 $10.68
Bowling $13.65 $14.67
Haircut $18.18 $18.62
Beauty Salon $33.13 $39.05

Detailed Harrisburg Groceries Costs Vs. Pennsylvania

Item Harrisburg Pennsylvania
Ground Beef $4.21 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.34 $1.39
Milk $2.44 $2.05
Potatoes $3.49 $3.29
Pizza $10.69 $10.62
Beer $11.96 $9.38
Toothpaste $1.84 $2.34

Detailed Harrisburg Health Costs Vs. Pennsylvania

Item Harrisburg Pennsylvania
Optometrist $86.81 $108.57
Doctor $103.0 $116.17
Dentist $93.74 $99.13

Detailed Harrisburg Transportation Costs Vs. Pennsylvania

Item Harrisburg Pennsylvania
Gasoline $2.54 $2.22
Tire Balancing $48.77 $50.07

Detailed Harrisburg Utilities Costs Vs. Pennsylvania

Item Harrisburg Pennsylvania
All Electricity $191.01 $167.67
Phone $189.01 $175.64

Harrisburg SnackAbility

4
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
4/10
Housing
5
Affordability
8
Diversity
10
Safety
5
Amenities
10
Education
6
Commute
9

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Harrisburg

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

  • Progress, PA has a cost of living index of 99, 1.1x Harrisburg.

  • Camp Hill, PA has a cost of living index of 106, 1.2x Harrisburg.

  • Palmyra, PA has a cost of living index of 95, 1.0x Harrisburg.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Harrisburg
Progress, PA 11,286 99 1.1x
Camp Hill, PA 8,115 106 1.2x
Palmyra, PA 7,750 95 1.0x
Middletown, PA 7,495 93 1.0x
New Cumberland, PA 7,481 98 1.1x
Lower Allen, PA 7,019 102 1.1x
Linglestown, PA 6,380 102 1.1x
Enola, PA 6,030 94 1.0x
Schlusser, PA 5,772 101 1.1x

Articles About Pennsylvania

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