Food Food and Nutrition

Does It Cost More to Live Near Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s?

Alison Feller

August 7, 2017

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If you want higher property values, move in next to this one organic supermarket.

When it comes time to settle down and drop a hefty down payment on a house, there are loads of factors to consider. Yes, of course you'll want to take into account things like the quality of the home (uh, when was the last time that electrical wiring was updated?), the size of the kitchen island and its corresponding backsplash (necessary for those marble-backed #meatlessmonday Instagram shots), and what your commute will be like, plus ever-important things like safety, school systems, and the closest SoulCycle.

And if you're going to shell out serious cash for a home, you're going to want to be able to get your favorite groceries as easily as possible—which means finding a dream home in close proximity to your local Whole Foods or Trader Joe's.

So do you shack up near the pricey-but-perfect Whole Foods hot bar, or are you better off finding a living room with a view of the Trader Joe's cookie butter aisle?

So do you shack up near the pricey-but-perfect Whole Foods hot bar, or are you better off finding a living room with a view of the Trader Joe's cookie butter aisle?

If you generally opt for TJ's because it means you get your organic, delicious, freezer-friendly meals at a fraction of the cost of its slightly more paycheck-dominating counterpart, that may affect the cost of your home—and not in the way you may think.

Turns out, the closer you live to your beloved avocado yogurt and vegan lattes, the more you're likely to shell out when it comes to your home. A new study from Attom Data Solutions found that homeowners who live near a TJ's saw an average home price appreciation of 67 percent in the last five years—significantly more than 52 percent of homeowners near Whole Foods and 51 percent for those near an Aldi.

The study looked at data from 1,275 US ZIP codes that included Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, and Aldi locations, and the homes near TJ's were most likely to get a boost in their home values. If you're interested in flipping a house (hello, #investment), an Aldi-adjacent home is your best bet. But if you're a TJ's devotee, get ready to shell out more: The average value of a home near a Trader Joe's was $595,288, compared to $531,103 near a Whole Foods, and $211,855 near Aldi.

As for whether you'll be able to get your Whole Foods hot bar order delivered to your doorstep? TBD.

Wherever you live—and shop—here's exactly how to prep for your next grocery trip, and here are the mistakes to avoid when you hit the aisles.