Cost of Living in Auburn, AL

Is Auburn, AL, an expensive place to live? Let's look deeper into the costs of living in Auburn, the average household income, typical expenses, and more!

Auburn, AL, is home to about 78,564 residents and is located in Lee County. Auburn is considered to be Alabama's fasted growing metropolitan area and the nineteenth fastest-growing metro area in the Unitied States. This city is also ranked among its top ten list of best places to live in the United States and is known as "The Loveliest Village On The Plains"!

Auburn is a very popular area for ages that range from 18 years old to 65 years old! The median age here is about 24 because it is home to the famous Auburn University! Considered to be one of the best places to live in Alabama, Auburn is a beautiful place to live or even visit!

It is no secret that Auburn is a great place to move to due to the booming economy, fantastic school systems, and a ton of things to do! This city is full of southern hospitality and charm, where everyone knows each other! This city may be perfect for you!

In this guide, we will be covering the cost of living in Auburn with data that covers data from all of the significant areas. These categories will help you better understand what you'll need to budget to live in a place you love if you are interested in moving to Auburn, Alabama!

Cost of Living Auburn

The average cost of living in Auburn is about $1372, in the top 32 percent of the most expensive cities worldwide. The total cost of housing, food, child care, transportation, health care, taxes, and other necessities for single adults in Auburn is about $35,426 a year, which is less than the national figure.

Auburn's overall expenses are 8 percent lower than the national average. However, utilities are 3 percent higher than the national average, but transportation costs like bus fares and gas prices are 3 percent lower than the national average.

Check out some of the expenses broken down below:

Source from Payscale.

Income

The overall average income for a resident in Auburn is about $24,896, and the median household income for a resident is approximately $37,406 yearly. The unemployment rate in this city is about 2.3 percent, which is lower than the 6 percent for national average. Auburn has also seen the job market increase by 1.7 percent over the last year. Future job growth over the next two years is predicted to be 39.1 percent, higher than the national average of 33.5 percent.

Housing Cost

Homes in Auburn were selling for a median price of $409,900. On average, homes here sell after about 15 days on the market. The home appreciation in the past ten years has been 42.9 percent, but in Auburn, it is up 8.7 percent. Auburn home buyers' average age is around 24, and since the housing expenses are 22 percent lower than the national average, this is a popular place to move to!

In Auburn, about 55 percent of the homes are rented, which is greater than the national average of about 36 percent. The typical renter in Auburn would make about $868 on housing which is also less than the national average of $1,023. However, all housing costs do vary depending on where you are located, the size of the place, and how old it is. Since this area is located near a college town, you also have to be aware of competitive costs during the school year because of students and faculty members finding a home as well.

Utilities

On average, the energy bill here in Auburn is about $176.42 a month, and a phone bill is about $194.13 a month. Overall, the overall monthly cost for people who live here is about $400.01n per month. These costs include electricity, gas, cable, and water. However, Alabama's monthly utility costs are about $40 higher than the national average.

The exact monthly bill varies depending on the property, utility usage, and the types of services you use. Here, the overall costs are around the national average and are not considered extraordinarily cheap or costly.

Determining the utility costs range drastically and can not be put on an exact average. Finding the right place and servers in your area will help drastically especially living in a hot area you will have to use a lot of air conditioning.

Food

On average, people here in Alabama pay $250.40 per month on grocery and non-restaurant food costs, or about $3,126 per year. Alabama is considered to be the 25th lowest state in the United States, with the cheapest food cost. The cost does vary depending on how significant of a family you need to feed and where you are located, but the grocery costs here are 2 percent lower than the national average.

Food is an everyday expense that enormously impacts the overall cost without you even noticing. However, every cost for food depends on the particular store you are at, the kind of diet, and the size of the family you are feeding. So make sure you prepare for a variety of costs throughout for food depending on you as an individual.

Healthcare

Alabama is ranked 38 out of all states in healthcare access and affordability. Healthcare costs make up a decent part of the cost of living. Affordability and easy access have a significant impact on the cost of health. The healthcare costs here are below or barely above the national average. It is hard to decide the exact average cost since it does vary, but here in Alabama, you will always know you are getting the top care due to the excellent medical schools and hospitals nearby!

Childcare, on the other hand, is something that thousands of families will spend money on. In Aubur, the average annual cost of child care for two kids is about $13,824, more than the national average of $12,931 across Alabama. On the other hand, the United States as a whole has an average of about $15,853 a year for two children.

Transportation

Transportation can be a significant component of the cost of living, whether you believe so or not. In Auburn, 88 percent of commuters drive to work, compared to 85 percent of commuters nationwide. It is also estimated that about 38 percent of workers commute to jobs that are outside auburn. Considering the cost of gas, car maintenance, and public transportation, it is estimated that a single person who lives in Auburn will spend about $10,266 a year on transportation, which is more than the national average of $9,760.

In Aubur, public transportation has a bus system that costs $1 per ride or a monthly pass of $35. At the same time, there are ride-sharing services like Uber, where costs may vary, and care rentals like Enterprise and Hertz, which all will vary depending on where you are located, for how long, and what company you are using it with.

Taxes

The sales tax for this city is 2 percent higher than the national average, while the income tax is about 1 percent higher than the national average. Few of these expenses do vary from city to city, but accounting for state and federal income taxes, as well as Social Security contributions and Medicare payroll taxes, the average adult working in Auburn will pay an annual amount of $6,108, which is close in line but however larger than the national average of $6,084.

On the other hand, there are several different taxes that residents may need to be aware of, like sales, property, income, and even business taxes. The property owners in Auburn are required to pay for their real estate, while for businesses, they may vary depending on your license tax, tax on goods sold, and the property for that owned or leased place. There will always be many different tax laws and regulations throughout every state and every city, so making sure you know your place of residence is essential.

FAQ

Is Auburn a safe place to live?

Auburn has an overall crime rate of 12 per 1,000 residents, making the crime rate here near the average for all cities and towns of all sizes in America. According to the analysis of FBI crime data, your chance of becoming a victim of crime in Auburn is about 1 in 80.

Is it expensive to live in Auburn?

Auburn, however, is not an expensive place, but it also is not cheap. The overall expenses are 8 percent lower than the national average, but on the other hand, some other costs, like utilities, are higher than the national average. A single adult's total cost of housing, food, child care, transportation, healthcare, taxes, and other necessities is about $35,426 a year.

Is Auburn a cheap state?

Auburn is considered in the top 32 percent of the most expensive cities worldwide but has a low cost of living overall. Some items may cost more or less depending on where you get there, but you should budget that out depending on your location!

Is Auburn a tax-friendly state?

A working adult in Auburn will pay about $6,108 annually, which, if you look at it in a larger scope, the residents, while excluding taxes levied at the federal level, do live in a low average tax burden state.

What is the weather like in Auburn?

Auburn has a humid subtropical climate. On the other hand, Auburn does experience server storm activity, tornados, and hurricanes due to its location in the tropical system. The weather, however, does not get too cold but will also get very warm since it is in the south, so prepare for a lot of warm sunny days!

What salary do I need to live in Auburn?

On average, the income for a resident here in Auburn is about $24,896, and the median household income for a resident is approximately $37,406 a year. On the plus side, Auburn has a future job growth over the next two years that is predicted to be about 31.9 percent which is higher than the national average of 33.5 percent!

Finding the perfect place to live in Auburn, Alabama

Auburn, AL, is a fantastic place to live, especially if you are looking for a place where it has a lot of various things to offer! Finding the perfect place to live where you can love to call your home while also living affordably and comfortably. If you want somewhere, that is on the rise of expansion and is considered one of the fastest-growing metro areas in the United States, then moving to Auburn may be the place for you!

You must take advantage of the various things this place offers, like the food options, breathtaking views, friendly football fanatics, and more! Auburn is somewhere you can live where you will never be bored and also be able to live in a house where the costs are low right now! Take advantage of what this city has to offer its residents!

If you or anyone you know is interested in searching for homes for sale in Auburn, please get in touch with us here so we can connect you with one of our Realty Specialists to help make this transition for you go smoothly. No matter the location, price, or preferences, we are here to help you through every step of the home-buying process to make sure we find you the perfect home that meets all of your needs and lifestyle amazingly. Contact us today!

Make sure to check out our other local area guides, including moving to Auburn, the cost of living in Alabama, and moving to Montgomery!