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Cheapest states to live in

Arkansas, Mississippi, Iowa have the lowest overall prices in the country, rent included (BEA, 2024).

By Sol Lakein. Updated November 2026.

The 3 cheapest states

Same groceries, rent and services, priced in every state. Tap a state for home values, payments and cities.
  1. 12 cities covered
    Arkansas13% cheaper than average
    2-bed rent
    $1,014
    Median home
    $318,743
    $150K in NY
    $115,851
    See Arkansas
  2. 2
    Mississippi13% cheaper than average
    2-bed rent
    $1,016
    Median home
    $292,250
    $150K in NY
    $115,872
    See Mississippi
  3. 3
    Iowa12% cheaper than average
    2-bed rent
    $1,049
    Median home
    $284,900
    $150K in NY
    $116,951
    See Iowa

Ranks 4 to 10

Price levelUS averageShorter bar = cheaper, longer = pricier
  1. 4Oklahoma1 city covered12% cheaper than average
    2-bed rent
    $1,085
    Median home
    $296,643
    $150K in NY
    $117,058
  2. 5Louisiana12% cheaper than average
    2-bed rent
    $1,105
    Median home
    $270,000
    $150K in NY
    $117,544
  3. 6South Dakota11% cheaper than average
    2-bed rent
    $1,148
    Median home
    $375,000
    $150K in NY
    $118,049
  4. 7Alabama1 city covered11% cheaper than average
    2-bed rent
    $1,103
    Median home
    $325,000
    $150K in NY
    $118,364
  5. 8North Dakota11% cheaper than average
    2-bed rent
    $1,076
    Median home
    $370,700
    $150K in NY
    $118,546
Show 2 more
  1. 9West Virginia1 city covered11% cheaper than average
    2-bed rent
    $909
    Median home
    $259,997
    $150K in NY
    $119,263
  2. 10Kansas1 city covered10% cheaper than average
    2-bed rent
    $1,116
    Median home
    $296,000
    $150K in NY
    $120,023

Cheapest states to buy a house

The 15 states with the lowest home prices, with the monthly mortgage.
  1. 1West Virginia$259,997 · $1,429/mo mortgage
  2. 2Louisiana$270,000 · $1,484/mo mortgage
  3. 3Ohio$284,000 · $1,561/mo mortgage
  4. 4Iowa$284,900 · $1,566/mo mortgage
  5. 5Mississippi$292,250 · $1,606/mo mortgage
Show 10 more
  1. 6Kansas$296,000 · $1,627/mo mortgage
  2. 7Oklahoma$296,643 · $1,630/mo mortgage
  3. 8Indiana$299,000 · $1,643/mo mortgage
  4. 9Michigan$299,900 · $1,648/mo mortgage
  5. 10Missouri$300,000 · $1,649/mo mortgage
  6. 11Kentucky$307,775 · $1,691/mo mortgage
  7. 12Pennsylvania$309,000 · $1,698/mo mortgage
  8. 13Arkansas$318,743 · $1,752/mo mortgage
  9. 14Illinois$324,950 · $1,786/mo mortgage
  10. 15Alabama$325,000 · $1,786/mo mortgage

Every state, cheapest first

All 51, for when you want the full list. Price level and housing are indexes where the US average is 100.
See all 51 states, cheapest first
RankStatePrice levelHousing2-bedroom rentMedian listed home
1Arkansas86.958.2$1,014$318,743
2Mississippi87.056.5$1,016$292,250
3Iowa87.865.3$1,049$284,900
4Oklahoma87.862.8$1,085$296,643
5Louisiana88.263.1$1,105$270,000
6South Dakota88.667.6$1,148$375,000
7Alabama88.861.8$1,103$325,000
8North Dakota89.071.4$1,076$370,700
9West Virginia89.554.2$909$259,997
10Kansas90.171.2$1,116$296,000
11Nebraska90.175.2$1,194$335,000
12Kentucky90.264.3$1,089$307,775
13Missouri90.869.9$1,121$300,000
14Tennessee91.979.1$1,306$429,450
15New Mexico92.273.6$1,133$399,475
16Wyoming92.771.1$1,035$496,500
17Ohio92.873.0$1,190$284,000
18Indiana93.373.9$1,218$299,000
19South Carolina93.780.5$1,338$359,945
20Wisconsin94.179.3$1,236$389,900
21North Carolina94.381.4$1,346$400,000
22Montana94.684.6$1,281$635,000
23Idaho95.590.0$1,438$593,000
24Michigan96.282.3$1,280$299,900
25Georgia96.388.7$1,524$389,750
26Maine97.078.9$1,433$450,000
27Texas97.196.5$1,533$355,765
28Pennsylvania97.685.1$1,353$309,000
29Vermont98.086.5$1,452$499,450
30Minnesota98.691.3$1,443$379,900
31Utah98.9107.8$1,579$579,000
32Delaware99.8102.0$1,632$484,998
33Illinois100.093.9$1,416$324,950
34Nevada100.0114.1$1,644$480,000
35Arizona100.7106.8$1,699$459,900
36Virginia101.1106.8$1,673$455,953
37Rhode Island102.3105.6$1,701$569,900
38Alaska102.493.8$1,506$435,000
39Colorado103.1127.4$1,900$564,000
40Oregon103.4108.6$1,650$550,000
41Florida103.4122.1$1,873$409,950
42Connecticut103.6117.0$1,772$522,500
43New Hampshire104.2114.9$1,867$590,000
44Maryland105.0121.1$1,834$425,000
45Massachusetts105.8128.1$2,121$714,250
46Washington107.0126.0$1,885$639,475
47New York107.9122.2$1,729$605,000
48New Jersey108.8134.3$1,990$559,500
49District of Columbia109.9155.0$2,541No data
50Hawaii110.0125.3$2,010$732,450
51California110.7154.3$2,239$725,000

Most expensive states to live in · Compare any two states

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Questions people ask

What is the cheapest state to live in?

Arkansas. Its BEA price level is 86.9, 13.1% below the US average, counting goods, services and rent (2024).

What is the cheapest state to buy a house?

West Virginia, where the median listed home is $259,997 (Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026).

Why not rank by home prices alone?

A cheap house in a state with high everyday prices can still cost more to live in. The BEA price level covers rent, groceries, utilities and services together, so it is the fairer single number. We show home prices beside it.

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Notes on the numbers
  1. 1Price level: BEA regional price parities via FRED, 2024. 2-bed rent: Census ACS 2025 1-year, median gross rent including utilities. Median home: Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026. "$150K in NY" is the salary here that buys what $150,000 buys in the New York metro, from the same BEA price levels.
  2. 2Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026. Principal and interest on the median listed home with 20% down, 30-year fixed at 7.32% (Freddie Mac 30-year fixed average, week of October 22, 2026). Excludes taxes, insurance and HOA.
  3. 3Price level and housing: BEA via FRED, 2024. 2-bedroom rent: Census ACS 2025 1-year, median gross rent (includes utilities). Median listing: Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026.
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