Looking ahead to the next couple months in Buckeye, you're facing a mixed bag of costs that'll impact your wallet differently. The job market remains solid with unemployment holding steady at 3.1% (Bureau of Labor Statistics), while home prices continue their upward march with a 0.8% recent increase (Federal Reserve data). With the typical household earning $85,700 annually (Census Bureau) and 67% of residents owning their homes, many families are feeling the squeeze from multiple directions. Your daily commute of 26.7 minutes means you're burning through gas at $3.23 per gallon (AAA reports), which adds up quickly for the area's 2 million commuters. The real kicker right now is your electric bill – at 15.76¢ per kWh (EIA data), a typical 1000kWh monthly usage runs $157.60, and with temperatures hovering around 91°F under broken clouds, those AC units aren't getting a break anytime soon.
The next two months offer some strategic opportunities if you time things right. Personal incomes are growing at 2.1% (Bureau of Economic Analysis), but that's barely keeping pace with rising costs, so budget carefully. If you're thinking about buying a home, consider moving quickly before prices climb further – though with the regional cost index at 94 (below the national average of 100), Buckeye still offers relative value compared to other markets. For renters and homeowners alike, now's the time to lock in any utility budget plans before electricity rates trend higher, and maybe invest in some basic weatherization to cut those cooling costs. With stable employment conditions and summer temperatures persisting through the season, your best bet is to focus on controlling what you can – shop around for better insurance rates, consider carpooling to offset those gas prices, and take advantage of Buckeye's below-average cost index while it lasts.
Sources: NOAA Weather, FRED (Federal Reserve), U.S. Census Bureau, BEA, AAA Gas Prices • Updated August 16, 2025
