Cost of Living by State (2026)
Compare cost of living by state in 2026. See which states are cheapest and most expensive for housing, groceries, utilities, and more.
The cost of living varies dramatically across the United States. Housing costs are the biggest driver of differences between states, but groceries, utilities, healthcare, and taxes all play a role. Hover any state on the map below to see its full breakdown — home value, rent, utilities, groceries, healthcare, childcare, and effective tax rate. Explore our Rent by State, Average Home Prices by State, and $100K Salary Take-Home pages for deeper cuts.
Cost of Living Quick Factskeepingupwithinflation.com
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| National average (annual, per person) | $54,942 |
| Cheapest state | Mississippi ($42,131) |
| Most expensive state | District of Columbia ($92,037) |
| Spread (priciest vs. cheapest) | $49,906 |
State Rankings at a Glancetop 5 in each category
Most affordable overall
Cheapest states to live
- 1.Mississippi$42,131
- 2.Arkansas$44,254
- 3.Oklahoma$44,398
- 4.Alabama$44,529
- 5.New Mexico$46,076
Most expensive overall
Priciest states to live
- 1.District of Columbia$92,037
- 2.Massachusetts$69,101
- 3.New Hampshire$65,908
- 4.Connecticut$65,128
- 5.California$64,835
Home prices — lowest
Cheapest housing
- 1.West Virginia$168,318
- 2.Mississippi$186,295
- 3.Louisiana$206,946
- 4.Oklahoma$214,159
- 5.Arkansas$215,426
Home prices — highest
Priciest housing
- 1.Hawaii$820,224
- 2.California$756,323
- 3.Massachusetts$638,534
- 4.Washington$585,669
- 5.District of Columbia$571,760
State tax @ $100K — lowest
Lowest tax burden
- 1.Alaska0.0%
- 2.Florida0.0%
- 3.Nevada0.0%
- 4.New Hampshire0.0%
- 5.South Dakota0.0%
State tax @ $100K — highest
Highest tax burden
- 1.Oregon0.8%
- 2.District of Columbia0.7%
- 3.Maine0.7%
- 4.California0.6%
- 5.Delaware0.6%
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Cost of Living by State — Full Datakeepingupwithinflation.com
| State | Annual COL ▼ | Home value | Rent | Utilities/mo | Groceries/mo | Healthcare/yr | Infant CC/mo | Tax @ $100K |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $92,037 | $571,760 | $1,904 | $335 | $625 | $13,239 | $2,043 | 0.7% |
| Massachusetts | $69,101 | $638,534 | $1,757 | $408 | $406 | $11,354 | $2,006 | 0.5% |
| New Hampshire | $65,908 | $492,203 | $1,517 | $424 | $450 | $9,886 | $1,150 | 0.0% |
| Connecticut | $65,128 | $422,919 | $1,463 | $478 | $373 | $10,103 | $1,712 | 0.5% |
| California | $64,835 | $756,323 | $1,992 | $390 | $392 | $10,373 | $1,785 | 0.6% |
| New Jersey | $63,814 | $558,805 | $1,667 | $376 | $369 | $9,762 | $1,462 | 0.4% |
| Colorado | $63,781 | $529,284 | $1,771 | $296 | $410 | $8,415 | $1,446 | 0.4% |
| Alaska | $62,900 | $376,253 | $1,373 | $516 | $400 | $13,015 | $1,442 | 0.0% |
| Washington | $60,528 | $585,669 | $1,731 | $346 | $379 | $9,013 | $1,710 | 0.0% |
| Maine | $60,250 | $396,211 | $1,189 | $408 | $440 | $10,062 | $1,622 | 0.7% |
| Florida | $60,204 | $370,112 | $1,719 | $422 | $395 | $8,996 | $1,364 | 0.0% |
| Vermont | $58,958 | $383,267 | $1,202 | $357 | $426 | $10,438 | $1,742 | 0.5% |
| New York | $58,571 | $498,438 | $1,499 | $410 | $343 | $10,124 | $1,872 | 0.5% |
| Illinois | $58,333 | $277,483 | $1,238 | $346 | $343 | $9,238 | $1,182 | 0.5% |
| Hawaii | $58,115 | $820,224 | $1,940 | $553 | $459 | $9,107 | $1,690 | 0.6% |
| Delaware | $57,672 | $396,102 | $1,358 | $420 | $353 | $11,091 | $1,403 | 0.6% |
| Pennsylvania | $57,009 | $275,824 | $1,197 | $398 | $292 | $9,609 | $1,437 | 0.3% |
| Wyoming | $56,941 | $352,902 | $1,000 | $351 | $408 | $9,050 | $1,248 | 0.0% |
| Minnesota | $56,489 | $335,400 | $1,264 | $313 | $310 | $9,839 | $1,658 | 0.6% |
| Maryland | $56,052 | $420,762 | $1,662 | $419 | $319 | $8,838 | $2,040 | 0.5% |
| Virginia | $55,776 | $401,888 | $1,567 | $387 | $366 | $8,434 | $1,581 | 0.5% |
| Oregon | $55,412 | $487,541 | $1,481 | $361 | $411 | $9,155 | $1,580 | 0.8% |
| Montana | $55,264 | $449,640 | $1,083 | $302 | $413 | $9,081 | $1,075 | 0.6% |
| Nevada | $54,054 | $440,161 | $1,622 | $389 | $380 | $7,198 | $1,109 | 0.0% |
| Arizona | $53,921 | $417,540 | $1,608 | $390 | $327 | $7,943 | $1,283 | 0.3% |
| North Dakota | $52,631 | $275,220 | $863 | $299 | $306 | $10,494 | $1,140 | 0.1% |
| Texas | $52,299 | $294,807 | $1,413 | $408 | $344 | $7,411 | $1,254 | 0.0% |
| Michigan | $52,210 | $250,331 | $1,101 | $331 | $348 | $8,381 | $1,135 | 0.4% |
| Nebraska | $52,177 | $267,297 | $1,042 | $312 | $325 | $9,572 | $1,196 | 0.5% |
| Missouri | $52,097 | $253,654 | $1,019 | $423 | $331 | $9,374 | $1,449 | 0.5% |
| North Carolina | $51,081 | $328,611 | $1,245 | $328 | $356 | $8,166 | $1,155 | 0.4% |
| Utah | $51,027 | $527,752 | $1,551 | $285 | $323 | $6,833 | $1,381 | 0.5% |
| Georgia | $50,282 | $325,999 | $1,400 | $412 | $370 | $8,008 | $1,013 | 0.5% |
| Indiana | $49,527 | $246,174 | $1,238 | $406 | $336 | $10,342 | $1,312 | 0.3% |
| Kansas | $49,348 | $235,906 | $1,036 | $365 | $377 | $8,523 | $1,295 | 0.5% |
| Tennessee | $49,326 | $324,926 | $1,214 | $364 | $298 | $8,244 | $1,398 | 0.0% |
| South Dakota | $48,997 | $307,422 | $866 | $300 | $299 | $10,881 | $810 | 0.0% |
| Louisiana | $48,425 | $206,946 | $1,020 | $320 | $336 | $9,576 | $1,295 | 0.3% |
| Iowa | $47,833 | $224,843 | $949 | $327 | $339 | $8,224 | $1,373 | 0.4% |
| Ohio | $47,768 | $234,035 | $1,014 | $416 | $342 | $8,770 | $1,060 | 0.2% |
| Kentucky | $47,272 | $224,468 | $929 | $359 | $352 | $9,463 | $1,189 | 0.4% |
| Idaho | $46,270 | $462,426 | $1,256 | $299 | $318 | $7,507 | $1,002 | 0.6% |
| South Carolina | $46,220 | $298,316 | $1,084 | $381 | $350 | $6,677 | $1,138 | 0.6% |
| New Mexico | $46,076 | $307,971 | $1,084 | $297 | $336 | $7,998 | $1,061 | 0.4% |
| Alabama | $44,529 | $228,634 | $982 | $398 | $319 | $7,505 | $1,031 | 0.5% |
| Oklahoma | $44,398 | $214,159 | $1,020 | $355 | $273 | $8,381 | $1,318 | 0.5% |
| Arkansas | $44,254 | $215,426 | $933 | $335 | $299 | $8,098 | $1,149 | 0.4% |
| Mississippi | $42,131 | $186,295 | $898 | $370 | $335 | $7,645 | $1,098 | 0.4% |
| Rhode Island | — | $486,411 | — | — | — | — | — | 0.4% |
| West Virginia | — | $168,318 | — | — | — | — | — | 0.4% |
| Wisconsin | — | $318,447 | — | — | — | — | — | 0.5% |
Click any column header to sort. Home values: Zillow ZHVI 2026. Tax rate: effective for single filer earning $100K.
Sources: BEA (annual cost), Zillow ZHVI 2026 (home values), Census ACS (rent), EIA & BLS (utilities), USDA (groceries), CMS (healthcare), Child Care Aware (childcare), Tax Foundation 2025 (tax brackets). Effective state tax calculated for a single filer earning $100,000.
Most Expensive States
Hawaii, California, Massachusetts, New York, and Washington, D.C. consistently rank as the most expensive places to live, driven primarily by housing costs.
Most Affordable States
Mississippi, Kansas, Oklahoma, Alabama, and West Virginia offer the lowest overall costs of living. Housing costs in these states can be 50-60% below the national average.
The Housing Factor
Housing typically accounts for 60-70% of cost-of-living differences between states. A median home in Mississippi costs around $160,000 compared to over $750,000 in California.
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