Survey: Tampa still affordable

TAMPA -- The cost of living in the Tampa metro area is roughly 8% lower than the national average, according to a recently updated survey.

The American Chamber of Commerce Researchers Association (ACCRA) Cost of Living Index for 2011 estimates Tampa's affordability at 91.8. A score of 100 equals the average cost of living in the United States. The affordability index is based on six components: housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, health care, and a miscellaneous category.

Area housing costs were one of the most forceful drivers behind Tampa's affordability score, with prices more than 20% below the national average, according to the survey.

Tampa's 91.8 score put it below other Florida metros, including Jacksonville (93.9), Orlando (97.3), and Miami (107.1). The highest score in the nation belonged to Manhattan (218.8), while Harlingen, Texas had the lowest score (81.0).

The ACCRA Cost of Living Index is constructed by The Council for Community and Economic Research, an organization based in Arlington, Va.