Dalton’s Cost of Living Index (COLI)

Among the 254 urban areas that participated in the 2023 Cost of Living Index, the after-tax cost for a professional/managerial standard of living ranged from more than twice the national average in New York (Manhattan) NY to more than 20 percent below the national average in Decatur, IL.   The Cost of Living Index is published quarterly by C2ER – The Council for Community and Economic Research. Among the 254 urban areas that participated in the 2023 Cost of Living Index, the after-tax cost for a professional/managerial standard of living ranged from more than twice the national average in New York (Manhattan) NY to more than 20 percent below the national average in Decatur, IL.   The Cost of Living Index is published quarterly by C2ER – The Council for Community and Economic Research.

National Average for 254 Urban Areas = 100

updated 1/31/2025

The Cost of Living Index measures regional differences in the cost of consumer goods and services, excluding taxes and non-consumer expenditures, for professional and managerial households in the top income quintile. Covering 61 different items, prices are collected quarterly by chambers of commerce, economic development organizations, and university applied economic centers in each participating urban area. Small differences should not be interpreted as showing a measurable difference.

The composite index is based on six component categories – housing, utilities, grocery items, transportation, health care, and miscellaneous goods and services.