How the index works
The Bureau of Economic Analysis publishes Regional Price Parities: the price level of each metro as a percentage of the national average. 110 means goods, rents and services cost about 10% more than the typical US price; 92 means 8% less.
We pair that index with monthly Zillow rent and home-value indexes, the Realtor.com median listing price, BLS unemployment and the EIA regional gas price, so you see both the official index and the actual dollar figures.
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