According to a national study released by the American Chamber of Commerce Research Associates (ACCRA), North Central Massachusetts is one of the most affordable metropolitan regions in which to live in New England. The ACCRA Cost of Living Index is compiled and released quarterly and measures relative price levels for consumer goods and services in participating areas, using a scale on which 100 is the nationwide average.
In New England, four metropolitan areas provided such data to ACCRA for inclusion in its Index for the first quarter of 2004. According to this data, the participating metropolitan areas in New England rate as follows on the 100 point scale:
| Stamford – Norwalk, CT | 160.0 | | Boston, MA | 138.0 | | Providence, RI | 130.0 | | New London, CT | 117.2 | | Burlington, VT | 116.2 | | Fitchburg/Leominster, MA | 114.5 | | Pittsfield, MA | 110.3 |
The ACCRA Cost of Living Index actually measures relative prices of housing, food, utilities, transportation and health care. Nearly 200 metropolitan areas across the nation provide information to ACCRA in order for such a comparative index to be created and published. Information about North Central Massachusetts is collected and provided to ACCRA by the Fitchburg State College Business Department in cooperation with the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce.
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People in business in North Central Massachusetts
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