Monday, August 06, 2007

Cost of Living

I came across a list of the twenty most expensive American counties/towns in which to live. Not surprisingly, Fairfax is high on the list.

  1. Marin County, California
  2. Fairfield, Connecticut
  3. Fairfax County, Virginia
  4. San Mateo, California
  5. Morris, New Jersey
  6. Somerset, New Jersey
  7. Westchester, New York
  8. Summit, Vermont
  9. Santa Clara, California
  10. Nassau, New York
  11. Hunterdon, New York
  12. Falls Church, Virginia (right next to Fairfax)
  13. Montgomery County, Maryland (other side of the Potomac River, just outside of Washington, DC)
  14. Lake County, Illinois
  15. Bergen County, New Jersey
  16. Los Alamos, New Mexico
  17. Douglas, Colorado
  18. Collin, Texas
  19. Williamson, Tennessee
  20. Howard County, Maryland (between Washington, DC and Baltimore)

Living in suburban Washington, DC obviously has its drawbacks. Nevertheless, if I have to live in a metropolitan area, this is better than many. It's a good thing that I'll get my annual cost-of-living pay increase in the fall - it appears that I will need every penny of it.

5 comments:

Barbara said...

it sounds like an expensive area to live in. I wonder how it would rate according to Toronto.

Dave said...

Barb, a small three bedroom home in our area starts at $400,000. There are all sorts developes with homes of your size that are advertised as "only starting at $880,000". Of course many houses in the development are 15 to 25% above the bottom end $880,000 home.

Jenn said...

that will be great when you guys move back here - good return on your house

Joanne said...

Ah yes, another North American city of haves and have nots. We experience the same thing here in Alberta. Our house has almost doubled in price in the year and a bit we've been in it. Rents have doubled and there has been a 50 - 100% increase in rents in some places, with a 25% decrease in affordable housing...........and they wonder why we have increased homelessness!

Catharine said...

Isn't it interesting how many are on or around the eaast coast?!