Cost of living by state
Prices run from 13.1% below the US average in Arkansas to 10.7% above the US average in California (BEA, 2024). Pick a state for home values, payments and the cities we cover.
By Sol Lakein, founder of Slower Sundays. Updated November 2026.
- ArkansasCheapest state13% cheaper than average
- CaliforniaPriciest state11% pricier than average
- $1,563/moUS 2-bed rentMedian, utilities included
- $419,250US typical home$2,304/mo mortgage
The 10 cheapest states
Same groceries, rent and services, priced in every state. Tap a state for its full breakdown.
Price levelUS averageShorter bar = cheaper, longer = pricier
- 1Arkansas13% cheaper than average
- 2-bed rent
- $1,014
- Median home
- $318,743
- Mortgage
- $1,752/mo
- 2Mississippi13% cheaper than average
- 2-bed rent
- $1,016
- Median home
- $292,250
- Mortgage
- $1,606/mo
- 3Iowa12% cheaper than average
- 2-bed rent
- $1,049
- Median home
- $284,900
- Mortgage
- $1,566/mo
- 4Oklahoma12% cheaper than average
- 2-bed rent
- $1,085
- Median home
- $296,643
- Mortgage
- $1,630/mo
- 5Louisiana12% cheaper than average
- 2-bed rent
- $1,105
- Median home
- $270,000
- Mortgage
- $1,484/mo
Show 5 more
- 6South Dakota11% cheaper than average
- 2-bed rent
- $1,148
- Median home
- $375,000
- Mortgage
- $2,061/mo
- 7Alabama11% cheaper than average
- 2-bed rent
- $1,103
- Median home
- $325,000
- Mortgage
- $1,786/mo
- 8North Dakota11% cheaper than average
- 2-bed rent
- $1,076
- Median home
- $370,700
- Mortgage
- $2,037/mo
- 9West Virginia11% cheaper than average
- 2-bed rent
- $909
- Median home
- $259,997
- Mortgage
- $1,429/mo
- 10Kansas10% cheaper than average
- 2-bed rent
- $1,116
- Median home
- $296,000
- Mortgage
- $1,627/mo
The 10 most expensive states
- 51California11% pricier than average
- 2-bed rent
- $2,239
- Median home
- $725,000
- Mortgage
- $3,984/mo
- 50Hawaii10% pricier than average
- 2-bed rent
- $2,010
- Median home
- $732,450
- Mortgage
- $4,025/mo
- 49District of Columbia10% pricier than average
- 2-bed rent
- $2,541
- Median home
- No data
- Mortgage
- No data
- 48New Jersey9% pricier than average
- 2-bed rent
- $1,990
- Median home
- $559,500
- Mortgage
- $3,075/mo
- 47New York8% pricier than average
- 2-bed rent
- $1,729
- Median home
- $605,000
- Mortgage
- $3,325/mo
Show 5 more
- 46Washington7% pricier than average
- 2-bed rent
- $1,885
- Median home
- $639,475
- Mortgage
- $3,514/mo
- 45Massachusetts6% pricier than average
- 2-bed rent
- $2,121
- Median home
- $714,250
- Mortgage
- $3,925/mo
- 44Maryland5% pricier than average
- 2-bed rent
- $1,834
- Median home
- $425,000
- Mortgage
- $2,336/mo
- 43New Hampshire4% pricier than average
- 2-bed rent
- $1,867
- Median home
- $590,000
- Mortgage
- $3,242/mo
- 42Connecticut4% pricier than average
- 2-bed rent
- $1,772
- Median home
- $522,500
- Mortgage
- $2,871/mo
Find your state
All 50 states and DC, A to Z.
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Every state
Price level and housing are indexes where the US average is 100.
See all 51 as a table, A to Z
| State | Price level | Rank | Housing | 2-bedroom rent | Median listed home | Monthly payment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 88.8 | 7 | 61.8 | $1,103 | $325,000 | $1,786 |
| Alaska | 102.4 | 38 | 93.8 | $1,506 | $435,000 | $2,391 |
| Arizona | 100.7 | 35 | 106.8 | $1,699 | $459,900 | $2,527 |
| Arkansas | 86.9 | 1 | 58.2 | $1,014 | $318,743 | $1,752 |
| California | 110.7 | 51 | 154.3 | $2,239 | $725,000 | $3,984 |
| Colorado | 103.1 | 39 | 127.4 | $1,900 | $564,000 | $3,099 |
| Connecticut | 103.6 | 42 | 117.0 | $1,772 | $522,500 | $2,871 |
| Delaware | 99.8 | 32 | 102.0 | $1,632 | $484,998 | $2,665 |
| District of Columbia | 109.9 | 49 | 155.0 | $2,541 | No data | No data |
| Florida | 103.4 | 41 | 122.1 | $1,873 | $409,950 | $2,253 |
| Georgia | 96.3 | 25 | 88.7 | $1,524 | $389,750 | $2,142 |
| Hawaii | 110.0 | 50 | 125.3 | $2,010 | $732,450 | $4,025 |
| Idaho | 95.5 | 23 | 90.0 | $1,438 | $593,000 | $3,259 |
| Illinois | 100.0 | 33 | 93.9 | $1,416 | $324,950 | $1,786 |
| Indiana | 93.3 | 18 | 73.9 | $1,218 | $299,000 | $1,643 |
| Iowa | 87.8 | 3 | 65.3 | $1,049 | $284,900 | $1,566 |
| Kansas | 90.1 | 10 | 71.2 | $1,116 | $296,000 | $1,627 |
| Kentucky | 90.2 | 12 | 64.3 | $1,089 | $307,775 | $1,691 |
| Louisiana | 88.2 | 5 | 63.1 | $1,105 | $270,000 | $1,484 |
| Maine | 97.0 | 26 | 78.9 | $1,433 | $450,000 | $2,473 |
| Maryland | 105.0 | 44 | 121.1 | $1,834 | $425,000 | $2,336 |
| Massachusetts | 105.8 | 45 | 128.1 | $2,121 | $714,250 | $3,925 |
| Michigan | 96.2 | 24 | 82.3 | $1,280 | $299,900 | $1,648 |
| Minnesota | 98.6 | 30 | 91.3 | $1,443 | $379,900 | $2,088 |
| Mississippi | 87.0 | 2 | 56.5 | $1,016 | $292,250 | $1,606 |
| Missouri | 90.8 | 13 | 69.9 | $1,121 | $300,000 | $1,649 |
| Montana | 94.6 | 22 | 84.6 | $1,281 | $635,000 | $3,490 |
| Nebraska | 90.1 | 11 | 75.2 | $1,194 | $335,000 | $1,841 |
| Nevada | 100.0 | 34 | 114.1 | $1,644 | $480,000 | $2,638 |
| New Hampshire | 104.2 | 43 | 114.9 | $1,867 | $590,000 | $3,242 |
| New Jersey | 108.8 | 48 | 134.3 | $1,990 | $559,500 | $3,075 |
| New Mexico | 92.2 | 15 | 73.6 | $1,133 | $399,475 | $2,195 |
| New York | 107.9 | 47 | 122.2 | $1,729 | $605,000 | $3,325 |
| North Carolina | 94.3 | 21 | 81.4 | $1,346 | $400,000 | $2,198 |
| North Dakota | 89.0 | 8 | 71.4 | $1,076 | $370,700 | $2,037 |
| Ohio | 92.8 | 17 | 73.0 | $1,190 | $284,000 | $1,561 |
| Oklahoma | 87.8 | 4 | 62.8 | $1,085 | $296,643 | $1,630 |
| Oregon | 103.4 | 40 | 108.6 | $1,650 | $550,000 | $3,022 |
| Pennsylvania | 97.6 | 28 | 85.1 | $1,353 | $309,000 | $1,698 |
| Rhode Island | 102.3 | 37 | 105.6 | $1,701 | $569,900 | $3,132 |
| South Carolina | 93.7 | 19 | 80.5 | $1,338 | $359,945 | $1,978 |
| South Dakota | 88.6 | 6 | 67.6 | $1,148 | $375,000 | $2,061 |
| Tennessee | 91.9 | 14 | 79.1 | $1,306 | $429,450 | $2,360 |
| Texas | 97.1 | 27 | 96.5 | $1,533 | $355,765 | $1,955 |
| Utah | 98.9 | 31 | 107.8 | $1,579 | $579,000 | $3,182 |
| Vermont | 98.0 | 29 | 86.5 | $1,452 | $499,450 | $2,745 |
| Virginia | 101.1 | 36 | 106.8 | $1,673 | $455,953 | $2,506 |
| Washington | 107.0 | 46 | 126.0 | $1,885 | $639,475 | $3,514 |
| West Virginia | 89.5 | 9 | 54.2 | $909 | $259,997 | $1,429 |
| Wisconsin | 94.1 | 20 | 79.3 | $1,236 | $389,900 | $2,143 |
| Wyoming | 92.7 | 16 | 71.1 | $1,035 | $496,500 | $2,728 |
Questions people ask
How do you measure cost of living by state?
We use the Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities, which price the same basket of goods, services and rent in every state against a US average of 100. Home values come from Realtor.com median listing prices, published on FRED.
Which state has the lowest cost of living?
Arkansas, with a price level of 86.9, 13.1% below the US average (BEA, 2024).
Which state has the highest cost of living?
California, with a price level of 110.7, 10.7% above the US average (BEA, 2024).
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Notes on the numbers
- 1Number = rank of 51, 1 is cheapest. Price 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. Mortgage: principal and interest with 20% down at 7.32%, 30-year fixed (Freddie Mac 30-year fixed average, week of October 22, 2026).
- 2Rank 1 is the lowest price level. Price level and housing: BEA via FRED, 2024. 2-bedroom rent: Census ACS 2025 1-year, median gross rent including utilities. Median listing: Realtor.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.
Sources for this page
- BEA regional price parities by state, 2024, via FRED ({ST}RPPALL, {ST}RPPSERVERENT)
- Realtor.com median listing price by state, September 2026, via FRED (MEDLISPRI{ST})
- US 2-bedroom rent: Census ACS 2025 1-year, median gross rent for 2-bedroom units (rent plus utilities)
- US median listing: Realtor.com via FRED MEDLISPRIUS, September 2026
- © Realtor.com, Housing Inventory Core Metrics (median listing price and median listing price per square foot), retrieved from FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis