Fitchburg-Leominster A Bargain
The Fitchburg-Leominster metro area is the cheapest urban area in New England, according to the cost of living index produced by the Council for Community and Economic Research.
Based on data from the first quarter of the year, the index ranks 309 urban areas across the country. Fitchburg-Leominster comes in at 103.1 on the scale, just above the 100 point average. That puts it slightly below Pittsfield, which stands at 103.8.
The other eight New England urban areas included in the index, from least to most expensive, are New London, Conn.; Nashua, N.H.; Providence, R.I.; New Haven, Conn.; Hartford, Conn.; Burlington, Vt.; and Boston. Nationally, Pryor Creek, Okla. comes in at the bottom of the scale at 83.1, while Manhattan is at the top at 219.3.
The index is based on prices of housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, health care and miscellaneous goods and services.
The North Central Massachusetts Economic Development Council is pointing to the data as evidence in support of its regional slogan "Mass Made Affordable." The council's web site features a "cost of living calculator" feature where users can compare the region to other parts of the country.
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