23 US Cities Hit Hardest By Inflation

Despite repeated proclamations that the economy is as strong as ever, working-class Americans’ bank accounts don’t lie. Inflation continues to erode the value of the dollar and the net worth of those paid in dollars.

However, inflation does not impact every geographic area equally.

Researchers compared several major metropolitan areas to determine which Americans are feeling inflation’s squeeze the most.

1. Miami – Fort Lauderdale – West Palm Beach, FL

The Miami area saw the greatest mbalonth-over-month rise in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) of any of the measured metroplexes. The CPI measures price changes in various consumer items, which sometimes include housing and staple grocery items.

If housing is part of the index, it is no surprise why Miami has seen such substantial inflationary gains. This area remains one of the hottest relocation destinations in the U.S.

2. Tampa – St. Petersburg – Clearwater, FL

There is nothing unique about Florida’s economy that would explain abnormally high inflation in the Tampa metro area. We can only assume that the demand for housing in Florida’s major cities has contributed to high inflation.

The median housing price in Tampa rose by nearly 20% between August 2022 and August 2023, indicating this area’s seismic demand for housing (and rising cost of living).

3. Riverside – San Bernardino – Ontario, CA

States whose economies rely heavily on the service sectors, including California, are less resilient during economic hardship. As business owners face the same operating costs but lagging sales, they may raise prices to trim their losses.

Furthermore, California is a notoriously expensive state burdened by high taxes, which stack on top of the rising cost of living.

4. San Diego – Carlsbad, CA

Southern California has been one of the areas hit hardest by inflation. For San Diego, we must assume that rising home values are a massive factor in the inflation rate.

When the value of a dollar drops precipitously, those who can afford to purchase real estate often do so. This drives up the cost of housing. Want proof? The average home price in San Diego topped $1 million for the first time.

5. Atlanta – Sandy Springs – Roswell, GA

When considering inflation rates in a specific city, we must ask: What has changed recently that would account for drastic price increases? In most cases, the answer is “housing prices.”

Atlanta’s housing market has undergone faster bloating than Violet Beauregarde, undoubtedly contributing to the rising cost of living in the area.

6. Seattle – Tacoma – Bellevue, WA

Long one of the most expethnsive places to live in the U.S., the Seattle-Tacoma metro area has held onto its status as a high-cost region. The cost of shipping items to the Pacific Northwest tends to worsen supply chain-related price hikes.

Despite well-documented problems with homelessness and vandalism, the Seattle-Tacoma area offers intrinsic perks that continue to attract residents (and keep the cost of living rising).

7. Dallas – Fort Worth – Arlington, TX

Homes in the Dallas area sold for 18.8% more in October 2023 than they did the month before. As property values rise, the cost of rents tends to rise in unison.

Before you know it, Big D has become one of the most inflation-hit cities in America.

8. Washington, D.C. – Arlington, VA – Alexandria, VA

The suburbs of Washington, D.C., offer many desirable neighborhoods populated by well-to-do people. These neighborhoods help explain why the housing market in Alexandria, VA, is very competitive. A competitive housing market can be an inflationary housing market.

Washington, D.C. also has a sizable population of impoverished residents, and these populations are often hit hardest by inflation.

9. Detroit – Warren – Dearborn, MI

Detroit’s housing market has long been part of jokes (get a house for the price of a VCR), but a revival in its luxury home market could be contributing to broader increases in property values.

We must also consider that, in many impoverished areas of Detroit and the surrounding communities, limited options for consumers contribute to inflated “take it or leave it” pricing by retailers.

10. Minneapolis – St. Paul – Bloomington, MN

There is nothing cold about Minneapolis’ housing market, which has seen a 6.6% increase year-over-year.

As much as landlords might want to be “Minnesota Nice,” they have no choice but to raise the rent and capitalize on increasing property values.

11. New York, NY – Newark – Jersey City, NJ

Competition for housing in New York and nearby communities in New Jersey is fiercer than the competition for a subway seat.

In fact, the cost of everything seems to be higher in New York City, so residents in the region feel inflation more acutely than most other Americans.

12. Anchorage, AK

The cost of shipping items from the lower 48 to Alaska makes the cost of living unusually high. When supply chain issues hit, the cost of getting items to the Last Frontier rises even higher.

Alaskan consumers in Anchorage have felt the bite of inflation just as they feel the bite of bitter Alaskan winters.

13. Philadelphia, PA – Camden, NJ – Wilmington, DE

Officials primarily blame food and shelter costs for rising inflation in Philadelphia and surrounding communities.

It would be nice if those in a city the Founding Fathers knew well could find a way to lower the cost of living.

14. Denver – Aurora – Lakewood, CO

Denver has experienced some of the most exaggerated increases in home prices, making life wholly unaffordable for residents under a certain earnings threshold.

The cost of fresh powder is steep, but an exodus of homeowners from Colorado could make housing far more affordable soon.

15. Los Angeles – Long Beach – Anaheim, CA

Los Angeles and unaffordable housing go together like surfboards and Laguna Beach. The median home price in Los Angeles is nearly $1 million, and housing costs increased by 8% between October 2022 and October 2023.

Toss an unhealthy dose of taxes on top, and a little bit of inflation gets out of control quickly.

16. Houston – The Woodlands – Sugar Land, TX

If there is one thing more consistent than the heat in Texas, it’s the non-stop influx of new residents.

With new residents in metropolises like Houston comes competition for housing, which is perhaps the greatest catalyst for inflation.

17. Honolulu, HI

Honolulu ranks behind only Manhattan as the second-most-expensive housing market in America.

When you combine that with the cost of flying items to the island, especially during a supply chain crunch, you have a recipe for relentless inflation.

18. Boston – Cambridge – Newton, MA

When those who completed the college tour circuit think Boston, Cambridge, Newton, they think Boston University, Harvard, Boston College.

A bustling top-tier American city populated by a rotating cast of college students means housing is always in demand, so prices are always on the rise. It’s no tea party when apartment hunting in Beantown, which is one reason for the unrelenting inflation.

19. Baltimore – Columbia – Towson, MD

Though it will not rank among the most competitive housing markets in the U.S., Baltimore rates as somewhat competitive.

Specific neighborhoods like Fells Point and Harbor East have seen market-pacing rent increases, one of the prime determinants of inflation.

20. Phoenix – Mesa – Scottsdale, AZ

Arizona historically re-populates through migration, rather than native Arizonans having kids who grow up and raise families in Arizona.

The steady stream of new arrivals means an ever-roiling fight for housing, giving landlords the leverage to raise rents and fuel inflation.

21. St. Louis, MO

Though housing prices in St. Louis rose by almost 4% between 2022 and 2023, we must also consider St. Louis’ considerable poverty.

Alarmingly high poverty rates in many parts of St. Louis mean residents may resort to payday loans, have few options for purchasing daily goods, and are vulnerable to the throes of inflation.

22. Chicago – Naperville – Elgin, IL

Housing prices in Chicago are actually falling, making the city an outlier on this list. Poverty (which is correlated with inflation) and perhaps even the rise in organized retail theft driving up the cost of goods may contribute to Chicago’s inflationary climate.

But, it is still expensive to live here.

23. San Francisco – Oakland – Hayward, CA

Few cities demand more money from their residents than San Francisco, and its nearby neighbors, Oakland and Hayward, have become expensive by proximity.

The median sales price for a home in San Francisco is more than $1.4 million, so prices tend to be unreasonable in the Bay Area even when inflation is kept at bay.

Seek Refuge in These Low-Cost Cities

If you are seeking an affordable alternative to inflation-addled cities, consider Hickory, NC, Huntsville, AL, Beaumont, TX, Green Bay, WI, or any of the several other cities renowned for affordability in these decidedly unaffordable times.