The Center Square: The $3,833 monthly cost of living in Chester County is the highest in Pennsylvania
Photo by Daniel ODonnell on Unsplash
(The Center Square) – Residents of Pennsylvania’s Chester County need to make $3,833 every month to maintain a modest standard of living, making it the most expensive place in the state to live, according to an analysis from 24/7 Wall St.
The Economic Policy Institute’s Family Budget Calculator was used to determine the local cost of living, which includes housing, food, health care, transportation and other necessities. In many of the locations identified, housing costs can account for more than 30 percent of these expenses.
The monthly housing cost in Chester County was $1,007. And the median household income in the region stood at $96,726.
The May 2020 jobless rate there was 9.6 percent. Unemployment rates in these counties tended to be below the 13 percent national average during the coronavirus pandemic, the website reported, while local population growth in recent years was above the U.S. average.
The 24/7 Wall St. analysis ranked counties by estimating the cost of living for a single adult resident to have a modest quality of life.
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Most Expensive Regions in Each State
| State | Most Expensive County to Live In | Monthly Cost of Living | Monthly Housing Costs | Median Annual Household Income | May 2020 Jobless Rate |
| Alabama | Shelby | $3,577 | $841 | $75,761 | 6.5% |
| Alaska | Denali Borough | $4,362 | $1,087 | $84,196 | 14.7% |
| Arizona | Coconino | $3,611 | $816 | $57,616 | 11.7% |
| Arkansas | Saline | $3,066 | $643 | $62,152 | 8.1% |
| California | San Mateo | $6,391 | $2,228 | $113,776 | 11.1% |
| Colorado | Douglas | $4,328 | $1,302 | $115,314 | 8.2% |
| Connecticut | Fairfield | $3,978 | $1,097 | $92,969 | 9.3% |
| Delaware | New Castle | $3,522 | $873 | $70,996 | 14.9% |
| Florida | Monroe | $4,000 | $1,001 | $67,023 | 17.7% |
| Georgia | Forsyth | $3,993 | $1,085 | $101,743 | 7.3% |
| Hawaii | Kalawao | $4,565 | $1,174 | $61,875 | N/A |
| Idaho | Blaine | $3,711 | $779 | $51,968 | 14.9% |
| Illinois | McHenry | $3,806 | $981 | $84,803 | 13.3% |
| Indiana | Hamilton | $3,314 | $774 | $94,644 | 7.5% |
| Iowa | Story | $3,216 | $633 | $54,554 | 6.9% |
| Kansas | Riley | $3,458 | $809 | $49,910 | 7.9% |
| Kentucky | Oldham | $3,134 | $672 | $97,597 | 9.1% |
| Louisiana | St. Tammany | $3,353 | $791 | $67,706 | 12.3% |
| Maine | Cumberland | $3,770 | $974 | $69,708 | 10.3% |
| Maryland | Calvert | $4,866 | $1,522 | $104,301 | 7.7% |
| Massachusetts | Nantucket | $4,337 | $1,282 | $105,171 | 17.3% |
| Michigan | Leelanau | $3,595 | $688 | $63,831 | 17.1% |
| Minnesota | Washington | $3,551 | $903 | $92,376 | 9.2% |
| Mississippi | Madison | $3,335 | $738 | $71,690 | 10.0% |
| Missouri | Andrew | $3,207 | $576 | $55,683 | 5.3% |
| Montana | Madison | $3,627 | $720 | $50,247 | 7.4% |
| Nebraska | Arthur | $3,642 | $549 | $43,854 | 3.5% |
| Nevada | Churchill | $3,472 | $733 | $51,514 | 8.3% |
| New Hampshire | Rockingham | $3,527 | $943 | $90,429 | 14.6% |
| New Jersey | Hunterdon | $4,108 | $1,089 | $112,535 | 11.1% |
| New Mexico | Harding | $3,214 | $564 | $30,875 | 3.0% |
| New York | Putnam | $5,181 | $1,511 | $102,186 | 10.6% |
| North Carolina | Camden | $3,993 | $880 | $63,349 | 8.3% |
| North Dakota | Dunn | $3,970 | $1,003 | $70,500 | 6.6% |
| Ohio | Hocking | $3,150 | $607 | $50,000 | 11.0% |
| Oklahoma | Ells | $3,406 | $565 | $52,705 | 8.2% |
| Oregon | Clackamas | $3,965 | $1,115 | $76,597 | 13.1% |
| Pennsylvania | Chester | $3,833 | $1,007 | $96,726 | 9.6% |
| Rhode Island | Newport | $3,503 | $943 | $77,237 | 13.9% |
| South Carolina | Beaufort | $3,649 | $878 | $63,110 | 11.3% |
| South Dakota | Custer | $3,214 | $591 | $55,472 | 11.1% |
| Tennessee | Williamson | $3,737 | $1,013 | $109,026 | 7.4% |
| Texas | Fort Bend | $3,629 | $1,048 | $95,561 | 12.8% |
| Utah | Summit | $3,613 | $827 | $100,453 | 16.9% |
| Vermont | Grand Isle | $3,999 | $944 | $69,583 | 12.5% |
| Virginia | Fairfax | $4,959 | $1,707 | $121,133 | 8.8% |
| Washington | King | $3,787 | $1,167 | $89,418 | 14.3% |
| West Virginia | Jefferson | $3,502 | $760 | $76,503 | 10.0% |
| Wisconsin | St. Croix | $3,415 | $697 | $81,124 | 13.8% |
| Wyoming | Teton | $3,942 | $882 | $83,831 | 15.0% |
This piece was originally published in The Center Square. Read the original article here.
