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Programs > Estimates and Forecasts > Cost of Living

Estimates and Forecasts

ACCRA Cost of Living Index
Select U.S. Metropolitan Areas, Fourth Quarter, 2004

The Cost of Living Index compiles costs of consumer products on a quarterly basis for approximately 300 cities and metropolitan areas in the United States. The average cost of living of all the cities participating in the survey is always scaled to equal 100.  The purpose of the index is to compare living costs in a particular location to this average. The index cannot, however, be used to compare changes in costs over time, as the cities participating in the survey change each quarter.  Think of the index in terms of percentages. The average cost of living of all cities participating in the survey is 100 percent of itself.  The cost of living in Olympia is 3.1 percent higher than this average.  Does that sound high? Consumer costs in Manhattan are 112 percent higher than the average, with housing almost 300 percent higher!

 

City

100%
Composite Index

13%
Grocery
Items

30%
Housing

9%
Utilities

9%
Trans-
portation

4%
Health
Care

35%
Misc. Goods & Services

Average of Cities Participating in the Survey this Quarter

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA

103.1

107.8

98.8

87.3

103.7

130.3

105.8

Bellingham, WA

105.6

113.7

112.0

83.6

100.9

121.0

102.2

Richland-Kennewick-Pasco, WA

97.9

92.5

93.5

93.3

104.5

130.7

99.4

Vancouver, WA

96.9

98.2

92.3

87.2

107.5

124.4

97.0

Seattle, WA

119.1

110.1

132.1

107.0

120.1

145.6

111.0

Spokane, WA

103.8

106.5

100.3

87.1

96.6

130.2

108.8

Yakima, WA

96.4

110.7

88.5

76.5

99.3

134.9

98.0

Tacoma, WA

105.6

111.3

96.7

100.7

103.8

136.1

109.3

Portland, OR

112.8

123.4

106.2

117.4

110.4

136.3

111.1

Corvallis, OR

112.7

118.1

116.5

113.9

104.4

137.8

106.3

New York (Manhattan), NY

211.6

132.8

387.4

147.7

116.9

142.5

138.9

Atlanta, GA

96.5

95.4

90.7

86.9

102.3

110.7

101.2

Chicago, IL

130.3

118.5

165.8

107.2

108.4

128.8

115.9

Denver, CO

103.3

106.2

108.7

82.2

96.4

120.6

102.7

Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA

156.4

125.7

251.9

115.9

114.8

105.8

112.8

Sources: ACCRA (American Chamber of Commerce Research Association) and Thurston Regional Planning Council.

For more information contact: Janet Rhoades, Assistant Planner, Thurston Regional Planning Council, (360) 956-7575 or info@trpc.org.








 

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