With a third quarter 2011 index of 93.7, Edmond's cost of living increased 2.1 percent from the same period in 2010.

The study measures relative price levels for consumer goods and services in participating areas. The average for all participating areas, both metropolitan and nonmetropolitan, equals 100. Each city's index is read as a percentage of the average for all participating cities.

"By participating in the ACCRA Cost of Living Index, we can offer customized cost of living comparison data to assist companies in their decisions to locate here. This data has proved to be a valuable tool in our business recruitment efforts," said Janet Yowell, executive director of the Edmond Economic Development Authority.

Consumer spending categories used in the study include grocery items, housing, utilities, transportation, healthcare and miscellaneous goods and services. Miscellaneous goods and services include items such as apparel, beauty supplies and services, recreational activities and entertainment.

Edmond ranked below the national average in five of the six categories: grocery items (89.3), housing (90.2), utilities (94.8), healthcare (96.3), and miscellaneous goods (95.9).

Edmond ranked above the national average in transportation (100.2).

Compared to the 2010 third quarter index report of 88.5, Edmond experienced the greatest shift in utilities with an increase of 6.3 percent.

Edmond joins 308 other cities, including 9 other Oklahoma cities in this quarterly report.

The ACCRA Cost of Living Index measures differences between areas in the cost of consumer goods and services, excluding taxes and non-consumer expenditures, for professional and managerial households in the top income quintile. It is based on more than 90,000 prices covering almost 60 different items for which prices are collected quarterly by chambers of commerce, economic development organizations, university applied economic centers, and other similar organizations in each participating urban area.