Cost of living by state

Prices in each state against the U.S. average of 100, 2024 · California highest, Arkansas lowest

Most expensiveCalifornia110.7, 10.7% above average

Least expensiveArkansas86.9, 13.1% below average

Highest rentDistrict of Columbia155.0 vs 100

Below average34 statesof 50 and DC

What your pay is worth in another state

Your paya yearWhere you live nowMoving to

The same living in Arkansas costs

$65,203 a year

Prices overall: −13.1% vs U.S. average
Rent: −41.8%
Goods: −6.4%
Utilities: −25.3%
Other services: −4.7%
Difference in pay: −$9,797

State-wide price levels for 2024 from BEA. Cities within a state vary, and taxes are not included.

Every state, most expensive first

Rank	State	Overall	Rent	Goods	Utilities	Other services
1	California	110.7	154.3	106.1	158.9	102.6
2	Hawaii	110.0	125.3	111.6	190.2	102.9
3	District of Columbia	109.9	155.0	106.5	112.8	103.0
4	New Jersey	108.8	134.3	107.1	114.2	103.5
5	New York	107.9	122.2	107.3	134.4	104.1
6	Washington	107.0	126.0	104.4	92.9	103.9
7	Massachusetts	105.8	128.1	98.8	152.1	102.9
8	Maryland	105.0	121.1	102.5	110.9	101.6
9	New Hampshire	104.2	114.9	98.6	133.7	103.9
10	Connecticut	103.6	117.0	97.3	146.5	102.7
11	Florida	103.4	122.1	98.1	90.1	101.3
12	Oregon	103.4	108.6	105.3	107.0	100.3
13	Colorado	103.1	127.4	98.7	85.0	99.6
14	Alaska	102.4	93.8	106.3	119.0	102.2
15	Rhode Island	102.3	105.6	97.2	146.7	102.8
16	Virginia	101.1	106.8	100.4	92.2	100.2
17	Arizona	100.7	106.8	95.4	92.3	102.8
18	Nevada	100.0	114.1	96.3	90.5	98.7
19	Illinois	100.0	93.9	103.8	85.0	100.2
20	Delaware	99.8	102.0	96.2	103.8	101.2
21	Utah	98.9	107.8	96.4	78.7	99.0
22	Minnesota	98.6	91.3	100.5	90.8	100.2
23	Vermont	98.0	86.5	97.3	125.8	101.6
24	Pennsylvania	97.6	85.1	99.4	109.3	99.8
25	Texas	97.1	96.5	98.1	87.5	97.1
26	Maine	97.0	78.9	97.2	135.2	103.2
27	Georgia	96.3	88.7	98.9	92.8	97.3
28	Michigan	96.2	82.3	96.0	100.2	100.9
29	Idaho	95.5	90.0	96.3	70.4	99.0
30	Montana	94.6	84.6	96.0	72.3	98.7
31	North Carolina	94.3	81.4	96.6	88.6	98.2
32	Wisconsin	94.1	79.3	94.3	89.9	99.5
33	South Carolina	93.7	80.5	96.3	88.3	98.3
34	Indiana	93.3	73.9	95.5	85.5	99.1
35	Ohio	92.8	73.0	93.7	95.8	98.9
36	Wyoming	92.7	71.1	95.4	78.4	100.4
37	New Mexico	92.2	73.6	96.1	77.9	98.5
38	Tennessee	91.9	79.1	96.2	72.1	95.1
39	Missouri	90.8	69.9	96.3	79.4	95.2
40	Kentucky	90.2	64.3	96.0	75.3	97.3
41	Nebraska	90.1	75.2	94.1	75.6	93.0
42	Kansas	90.1	71.2	94.0	88.4	93.8
43	West Virginia	89.5	54.2	96.5	92.2	99.9
44	North Dakota	89.0	71.4	95.7	73.7	91.2
45	Alabama	88.8	61.8	96.4	84.6	96.7
46	South Dakota	88.6	67.6	95.5	79.7	91.9
47	Louisiana	88.2	63.1	93.7	71.5	95.7
48	Oklahoma	87.8	62.8	93.8	73.9	95.5
49	Iowa	87.8	65.3	93.7	83.3	92.9
50	Mississippi	87.0	56.5	96.2	78.4	96.1
51	Arkansas	86.9	58.2	93.6	74.7	95.3

U.S. average = 100. State-wide averages; big cities usually cost more than the rest of their state.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, data through 2024.

Cite or link to this page

Citation

insytesBI. (2024). Cost of living by state. Data: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, 2024. https://www.insytesbi.com/states/cost-of-living/

Link<a href="https://www.insytesbi.com/states/cost-of-living/">Cost of living by state</a>

Frequently asked questions

What is the most expensive state to live in?

California, where prices run 10.7% above the national average, followed by Hawaii and District of Columbia. Rent drives most of the gap.

What is the cheapest state to live in?

Arkansas, at 13.1% below the average, then Mississippi and Iowa.

How much do I need to earn in another state?

Multiply your pay by the new state’s index and divide by your current one. Moving $75,000 from California (110.7) to Arkansas (86.9) keeps the same living on about $58,890.

Where is rent highest?

District of Columbia, at 155.0 against a U.S. average of 100, and lowest in West Virginia at 54.2.

How many states are cheaper than average?

34 of the 50 states and DC have prices below the national average. Large expensive states pull the average up, so most states sit under it.

What do these numbers measure?

The Bureau of Economic Analysis prices the same basket of goods, rent, utilities and services in every state. 100 is the U.S. average; 110 means 10% more. 2024 is the newest year published, and BEA releases the next each December.