By COLLIN BREAUX
As the price of basic necessities and utilities continue to soar in the United States, one economic study suggests Chipley might fly under that radar to a degree.
The cost of living in Chipley is lower than the national average, according to a recent data study by the bill pay service company doxo.
The company compiled recently released data about Chipley and other cities throughout the United States. Specifically, the cost of living in Chipley is 24.4% lower than the national average of $2,046 and 26.7% lower than the Florida state average of $2,112.
Chipley bills come out to a monthly average of $1,548.
“Because the cost of living is 24.4% lower than the U.S. average, our data suggests Chipley is an attractive place to live or move,†said Liz Powell, senior director of INSIGHTS at doxo. “The low rent and mortgage costs (or housing) are what drive affordability in Chipley.â€
The average monthly rent payment in Chipley is $729, according to doxo’s data. Auto loans are $491, utilities $414, cable and internet $78, and auto insurance $238. The national average rent cost is currently $1,191.
“doxoINSIGHTS analyzes aggregate, anonymized bill payment data for 97% of all US zip codes by observing the actual payment activity of our user base of more than 8M people,†Powell said of the methodology used for the study. “For each city that is observed, we calculate monthly bills from the 10 most common household bills to come up with the average amount paid in total, and across each bill category.â€
Powell, however, said Chipley residents do tend to spend “more significant percentage of income on household bills, at 46% compared to the national average of 35%.â€
“This is likely because the average household income is quite a bit lower than the national average,†Powell said. “So, even though the cost of living is nearly 25% lower than the national average, the bills to income ratio is bigger and this shouldn’t be overlooked.â€
The average annual household income for Chipley is $40,084. Household bills account for almost half of that income–46%, to be precise.
Chipley ranks as the 184th most expensive city in Florida for household expenses.
“This makes it one of the top 20 most affordable cities to live in Florida,†Powell said.
Pembroke Pines in South Florida near Miami was rated as the most expensive Florida town, with an average $3,035 monthly living cost–almost double that of Chipley.
San Jose in California was ranked the highest U.S. large city in terms of living costs at $3,504 per month, while Detroit is considered the lowest with a $1,571 monthly living cost average.
Staff Report