Methodology
Learn about URCity's data sources, calculation methods, and quality standards.
Data Sources
We use only official, verified data sources from government agencies and reputable research organizations.
United States
- C2ER — Cost of Living Index
- Bureau of Labor Statistics — Consumer Expenditure Survey
- Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities
- Zillow Research — Home values, rents, price per sq ft
- HUD — Fair Market Rents
- US Census Bureau — Population, income, education
- NOAA — Climate normals
- Tax Foundation — State and local tax rates
- EIA — Natural gas prices and electricity costs
- FCC — Broadband availability
United Kingdom
- Office for National Statistics — Cost of living, earnings
- Rightmove — Home values and rental prices
- HMRC — Tax rates
- Met Office — Climate data
- Ofcom — Broadband availability
- Ofgem — Gas and electricity price caps
- Water UK — Water utility costs
Canada
- Statistics Canada — Cost of living, income, demographics
- CREA — Home values and sales data
- CMHC — Rental market data
- Environment Canada — Climate data
- Canada Revenue Agency — Tax rates
- ISED — Broadband data
- Canada Energy Regulator — Natural gas and electricity prices
Cost of Living Index
Our cost of living indices are based on the C2ER methodology. The national average is set to 100. A score of 120 means the city is 20% more expensive than average.
Heating & Cooling Cost Estimation
Heating and cooling costs are calculated using a physics-based model that accounts for local climate, home characteristics, and regional fuel/electricity prices.
Heating: Monthly HDD × 0.16 therms/HDD × Local Gas Price. Cooling: Monthly CDD × 3.5 kWh/CDD × Local Electricity Rate.Degree Days (HDD & CDD)
Derived from each city's summer high and winter low temperatures using a sinusoidal model. HDD measures heating demand below 65°F; CDD measures cooling demand above 75°F.
Home Characteristics
Assumes a typical mixed-vintage home with gas heating and central AC. Heating and cooling factors are adjusted by country for insulation, home size, and system efficiency.
Local Fuel & Electricity Prices
State/province-level natural gas and electricity prices from official sources:
- US: EIA state-level prices (e.g., Texas: $0.95/therm, New York: $1.40/therm)
- UK: Ofgem price cap (~£1.90/therm)
- Canada: Provincial utility rates (e.g., Ontario: C$1.10/therm)
Example Estimates
Remote Work Score
Our Remote Work Score (0–100) combines five weighted factors to measure how well a city supports remote work.
Home Ownership Calculator
Our True Cost of Home Ownership calculator uses standard amortization formulas plus local cost factors.
Currency & Temperature Conversion
All monetary values and temperatures on city pages can be converted on-the-fly.
Currency
Live exchange rates.
Temperature
Instant °F/°C conversion on all climate data across the site.
Auto-Detection
Uses browser timezone and language settings to pre-select appropriate defaults.
Data Freshness
| Data Type | Update Frequency | Last Updated |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of Living | Quarterly | June 2026 |
| Housing | Monthly | May 2026 |
| Demographics | Annual | 2024 ACS |
| Climate | Historical | 1991–2020 normals |
| Taxes | Annual | 2026 |
| Exchange Rates | Live (API) | Real-time |
| Heating Estimates | Per refresh | June 2026 |
| School Data | Annual | 2024–2025 school year |
| University Data | Annual | 2025 CWUR rankings |
School Quality Score
The School Quality Score is a composite index (0–100) that compares each city's K-12 school system against other cities in the same country. The calculation varies by country based on available data.
United States
- Student:Teacher Ratio (40%) — Lower ratios indicate smaller class sizes. Each city's ratio is ranked against all other US cities.
- Free/Reduced Lunch Rate (40%) — A lower percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch indicates lower economic disadvantage. Inverted so a lower rate produces a higher score.
- School Level Diversity (20%) — Cities with schools at all three levels (elementary, middle, high) receive full credit.
United Kingdom
- Free School Meal Eligibility (60%) — Lower FSM eligibility indicates lower economic disadvantage. Each city is ranked against all other UK cities.
- School Level Diversity (40%) — Cities with schools at all three phases (primary, secondary, special) receive full credit.
Canada
- Top-Rated Schools (50%) — Number of Fraser Institute ranked schools per city. Each city is ranked against all other Canadian cities.
- School Level Diversity (50%) — Cities with schools at all three levels (elementary, middle, high) receive full credit.
Data Sources
- United States: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) — Common Core of Data (CCD), 2024–2025 school year
- United Kingdom: Department for Education (DfE) — Schools, pupils and their characteristics, January 2025 census (England only)
- Canada: Fraser Institute School Performance Rankings, 2023–2024
- Coverage: 157 cities across 3 countries (US: 137, UK: 10, Canada: 10) with city-level data
University Data
University presence and ranking data is available for all 1,767+ cities across 68 countries and territories. For each city, we determine:
What We Collect
- University presence — Whether the city has at least one university
- Total universities — Count of universities in the city
- Top-ranked university — Name and global rank of the highest-ranked university
- Top-500 count — Number of universities ranked in the global top 500
Data Source
- Center for World University Rankings (CWUR) — 2025 edition
- Supplemented by a comprehensive world universities database
- University names matched to URCity cities using name variations and country-level filtering
- Coverage: All 1,767+ cities across 68 countries and territories
Limitations
Cost of living indices are averages and may not reflect your specific lifestyle.
Housing data is city-wide; neighborhoods can vary significantly.
Tax calculations are simplified and don't account for all deductions.
Climate data is historical; future weather patterns may differ.
Heating and cooling estimates are based on typical home characteristics and may vary with home size, insulation, system efficiency, and local rates.
Exchange rates are provided by a third-party API and may have slight delays.
Important Disclaimer
All methodology descriptions, data sources, and calculations on this page are provided for informational purposes only. URCity and Northshore Press do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of any data. This content does not constitute financial, legal, tax, or real estate advice. Always consult qualified professionals and verify data independently before making relocation or financial decisions.
Have questions about our methodology or data sources? Contact us →