10 most expensive cities in the USA to live

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

List of cities in the United States of America where life is very expensive.

The high cost of living in certain cities in the United States is due to many reasons. Choosing an expensive city for life, Americans pay for the amenities and benefits that it offers, be it a comfortable climate, career prospects, developed infrastructure, or a rich cultural life. Here is a list of the most expensive cities in the United States, compiled on the basis of data from the US Council on Social and Economic Research.

10. Seattle

Living wage: 44.9% higher than the US average.

Population: 684,451 people.

Average family income: $ 70,594 (US average: $ 53,889).

Average cost of housing: $ 452,800 (US average: $ 178,600).

Unemployment rate: 4.5% (US average: 4.9%).

Seattle is among the leaders in terms of economic development among US cities. It is home to the offices of Microsoft, Amazon and many other high-tech companies that attract a huge number of professionals from all over the world. This inevitably leads to higher prices in the real estate market. Housing costs for owners and tenants here are already almost 80% higher than the national average, and they continue to grow.

9. Stamford, Connecticut

Living wage: 45.7% higher than the US average.

Population: 128,874 people.

Average family income: 79,359 dollars.

Average cost of housing: 501,200 dollars.

Unemployment rate: 5, 0%.

Stamford overtakes most US cities in the number of millionaires per capita. But no matter how dear life in Stamford is, it is far from neighboring New York. Plus, it's not all that bad with transportation costs. With an extensive train network connecting Stamford to New York, and a prime location on the Northeast Railroad, transportation costs are just 11% above average.

8. Boston

Living wage: 47.9% higher than the US average.

Population: 667,137 people.

Average family income: $ 55,777.

Average cost of housing: 393,600 dollars.

Unemployment rate: 3, 4%.

With a myriad of universities, hospitals, historic sites, and technology jobs, Boston is one of the most vibrant cities to live in. But despite the fact that the popularity of the city automatically makes life in it more expensive, a large number of students and recent graduates suggest that life in the city is quite affordable for those who are just getting on their feet. For example, food in Boston costs only 6% more than in other cities.

7. Oakland, California

Living wage: 48.4% higher than the US average.

Population: 419,267 people.

Average family income: 54,618 dollars.

Average cost of housing: 458,500 dollars.

Unemployment rate: 3, 8%.

Average incomes in Oakland are practically the same as the average for the United States, but the cost of housing here is two and a half times higher. In 2016, property prices in Auckland rose by 9.6%, and they are expected to rise by another 2.9% this year.

6. Washington DC

Living wage: 49% above the US average.

Population: 681,170 people.

Average family income: 70,848 dollars.

Average cost of housing: $ 475,800.

Unemployment rate: 3, 8%.

Those who dream of living in Washington will have to fork out for housing: rent and mortgage payments here are more than double the US average. As for the rest of the costs, they do not differ much from the average. And the cost of medical services in the District of Columbia is even slightly below average. There is an excellent network of city buses and metro, so transport costs are not very expensive. And best of all, there are many free museums in Washington DC.

5. Brooklyn, New York

Living wage: 73.3% higher than the US average.

Population: 2 629 150 people.

Average family income: $ 48,201

Average cost of housing: 570,200 dollars.

Unemployment rate: 4, 8%.

Brooklyn is technically one of the boroughs of New York, but lately it has been increasingly treated as an independent territorial unit. Just a few years ago, Brooklyn was considered a good alternative for those who could not afford to live in Manhattan. Things are different now. Housing costs, including the cost of rent and mortgages, are three times higher than the national average.

4. San Francisco

Living wage: 77.2% higher than the US average.

Population: 864 816 people.

Average family income: $ 81,294.

Average cost of housing: 799,600 dollars.

Unemployment rate: 3, 8%.

Years of unrelenting economic growth driven by skyrocketing revenues from high-tech companies have made San Francisco one of the most expensive cities in the country. Even with high salaries, making ends meet is not easy for those living here.

Due to the fantastically high prices for housing, buying real estate here is almost unrealistic, and renting is fabulously expensive. To rent an apartment in San Francisco, you have to shell out an average of $ 3,548 per month. This is more than three times the average rental price in other cities in the United States.

3. Honolulu

Living wage: 90.1% higher than the US average.

Population: 992,605 people.

Average family income: $ 74,460.

Average cost of housing: 580,200 dollars.

Unemployment rate: 2, 8%.

Living in a paradise is not cheap: Honolulu people pay more for almost everything than their compatriots on the mainland. Most of the goods sold in Hawaii are imported, which is reflected in their prices accordingly. According to statistics, Honolulu has the most expensive food items among 288 major US cities. And gasoline prices are 30% higher here than on the continent.

2. Sunnyvale, California

Living wage: 122.9% higher than the US average.

Population: 151,754 people.

Average family income: 105,401 dollars.

Average cost of housing: 790,300 dollars.

Unemployment rate: 3, 8%.

Sunnyvale, like the rest of Silicon Valley, is famous for its sky-high prices and the fact that the world's largest high-tech companies are located here. Sunnyvale is home to Yahoo's headquarters, as well as the offices of giants such as Intel, Tesla, Google and Apple. Unsurprisingly, housing is incredibly expensive here: 375% more expensive than the national average. Six-figure salaries - some of the highest in the United States - allow the city's residents to cope with the unbearable financial burden.

1. Manhattan, New York

Living wage: 127.8% higher than the US average.

Population: 1,643,347 people.

Average family income: $ 72,871

Average cost of housing: 848,700 dollars.

Unemployment rate: 4, 8%.

In the rating of real estate prices in the United States, Manhattan takes an honorable first place. Renting an apartment here will cost an average of $ 4,239 per month. In the grocery store, you will leave 43% more, and you will have to pay 30% more for medical care and transportation services than residents of other US cities pay. And to enjoy life in Manhattan, you have to love the crowd: the population density here is almost 27,000 people per km².