California Cost of Living & Economic Score

Name: California cost-of-living and economic indicators (2024)
Creator: InflationRank
Published: 2024-01-01
License: https://www.usa.gov/government-works

Federal Bureau of Economic Analysis data on price levels, real income, and household-budget impact for California. Last updated 2024.

D-

InflationRank Score

62 / 100

California ranks around the U.S. national average for cost-of-living-adjusted economic conditions.

Cost level (RPP)

110.7

10.7% above U.S. average

Real per-capita income

$66.0K

7K above U.S. ($59K)

Property tax

0.75%

vs U.S. avg 1.02%

Sales tax

8.85%

combined state + local avg

State income tax (top)

13.30%

top marginal rate

Home insurance (avg)

$1,303/yr

~$300K coverage

Cost of living in California

According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, prices in California run 10.7% above the U.S. average (Regional Price Parity index 110.7 on a base of 100). The state sits in the West region. That puts it among the most expensive states in the country.

Real per-capita personal income — what local residents actually earn after adjusting for cost of living — is $66.0K (vs $59K nationally). Locals have higher real purchasing power than the U.S. average — high incomes here more than compensate for any cost premium.

Notable cost factors: high top-marginal income tax of 13.3%, high combined sales tax (8.85%).

Cost of living in California's major metro areas

San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA RPP 122.9 F
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA RPP 121.8 F
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA RPP 121.3 F
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA RPP 119.0 F
Salinas, CA RPP 117.0 F
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA RPP 115.0 F
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA RPP 114.0 F
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA RPP 114.5 F
Sacramento-Roseville-Arden-Arcade, CA RPP 108.0 D
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA RPP 102.0 C
Fresno, CA RPP 93.0 B
Bakersfield, CA RPP 91.0 B

How does cost of living in California compare to other states?

Browse all 50 states →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost of living in California?

California's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 110.7 (U.S.=100), meaning prices are 10.7% above the national average. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024.

Is California affordable to live in?

California has an InflationRank score of 62/100 (grade D-), reflecting costs above the national average relative to local incomes. Real per-capita income is $66.0K (U.S. avg $59K).

What is the InflationRank score for California?

California's InflationRank score is 62/100 (grade D-). The score blends cost burden (60%), inflation pressure (25%), and income resilience (15%), using Bureau of Economic Analysis and Bureau of Labor Statistics federal data.

About the InflationRank Score

The InflationRank Score is a proprietary 0–100 composite that summarizes a place's cost-of-living and economic conditions on a familiar A–F grading scale. Higher scores reflect a better cost-of-living-adjusted economic situation.

The composite weighs three dimensions sourced from federal government datasets: cost level (how local prices compare to the national average), inflation pressure (recent direction and pace of cost movements), and income resilience (real, cost-adjusted earning power of local residents). The score is anchored to the U.S. national average and reviewed annually as federal data refreshes.

Underlying data is drawn from authoritative federal economic agencies and public housing datasets. See full data sources →