Background

PlainCost is an independent data-journalism portal that examines cost-of-living trends in metro areas using public Bureau of Economic Analysis data. The editorial team compiles, verifies, and contextualizes the underlying Regional Price Parities releases, presenting them in plain-language formats accessible to relocators, journalists, and researchers. The team does not accept payment from entities it covers in order to maintain impartial coverage.

How to use this site

PlainCost publishes reference material, data-driven pages, and explanatory tools. Use the source information, assumptions, limitations, and methodology shown on the individual page to decide whether it fits your situation.

Published information can summarize source data or provide an estimate; it is not professional financial, medical, legal, or engineering advice. For an important decision, compare the relevant page with a primary source or a qualified professional.

How information is presented

Pages that present data or estimates identify the available source, method, and material limitations. Results can differ from real-world outcomes because inputs, rules, rates, rounding, data coverage, and individual circumstances vary.

The methodology page explains the site-level approach and limitations. Check the source information on the page you are using rather than treating site-wide wording as a substitute for the current source.

Feedback

If you find an error, stale figure, or missing context on any page we publish, please use the contact page or write to hello@plaincost.com with the URL and the issue.

Areas of focus

• cost of living
• metro data
• public dataset analysis

Contact and identity

• Email: hello@plaincost.com
• Publisher: https://plaincost.com