Cost of Living by State

51 states + DC ranked by average cost index · Updated 2026

#StateAvg Cost Index Avg RentAvg IncomeCities
1 West Virginia 60 $901/mo $60,403 16
2 Arkansas 64 $940/mo $61,389 38
3 Oklahoma 66 $1,001/mo $63,338 45
4 Mississippi 66 $1,035/mo $55,163 41
5 New Mexico 67 $992/mo $62,514 23
6 Kentucky 68 $976/mo $65,358 44
7 Nebraska 69 $1,000/mo $69,753 17
8 South Dakota 70 $916/mo $66,995 13
9 Indiana 71 $1,059/mo $69,631 85
10 Iowa 71 $993/mo $75,250 42
11 Ohio 73 $1,073/mo $74,729 185
12 Louisiana 73 $1,088/mo $63,414 57
13 Kansas 73 $1,058/mo $75,051 35
14 Alabama 74 $1,067/mo $70,244 70
15 North Dakota 74 $969/mo $74,870 9
16 Missouri 76 $1,075/mo $76,475 86
17 Michigan 77 $1,148/mo $72,230 101
18 Pennsylvania 77 $1,155/mo $70,510 87
19 Wisconsin 82 $1,110/mo $82,564 96
20 Tennessee 86 $1,198/mo $73,681 65
21 South Carolina 87 $1,255/mo $71,850 62
22 Maine 87 $1,182/mo $67,217 13
23 Wyoming 88 $1,034/mo $74,899 11
24 North Carolina 90 $1,241/mo $77,243 96
25 Georgia 94 $1,357/mo $73,389 113
26 Idaho 95 $1,200/mo $74,624 25
27 Illinois 95 $1,350/mo $92,250 224
28 Montana 95 $1,145/mo $69,810 8
29 Texas 96 $1,420/mo $85,052 264
30 Minnesota 99 $1,346/mo $93,064 101
31 Rhode Island 104 $1,310/mo $76,319 11
32 Arizona 104 $1,452/mo $80,913 67
33 Vermont 105 $1,436/mo $78,876 4
34 Alaska 107 $1,505/mo $91,914 7
35 Delaware 107 $1,605/mo $87,579 11
36 Connecticut 108 $1,486/mo $84,927 35
37 New Hampshire 108 $1,465/mo $86,691 15
38 Nevada 111 $1,478/mo $79,531 24
39 Florida 112 $1,631/mo $77,387 341
40 Oregon 115 $1,443/mo $82,434 68
41 Utah 124 $1,533/mo $99,766 66
42 Maryland 134 $1,873/mo $112,402 136
43 New Jersey 140 $1,834/mo $112,548 157
44 New York 140 $1,844/mo $111,887 197
45 Colorado 142 $1,780/mo $101,875 68
46 Virginia 146 $1,921/mo $121,861 128
47 Washington 149 $1,784/mo $105,036 129
48 Massachusetts 149 $1,755/mo $107,332 89
49 District of Columbia 171 $1,900/mo $106,287 1
50 California 180 $2,025/mo $104,777 500
51 Hawaii 183 $2,139/mo $107,177 32

State Cost of Living Overview

The cost of living varies dramatically across US states. West Virginia is the most affordable state with an average cost index of 60, while Hawaii is the most expensive at 183 (US average = 100).

Key factors driving state-level cost differences include housing markets, state income tax rates (ranging from 0% in states like Texas and Florida to over 13% in California), sales taxes, property taxes, and local economic conditions. Click any state to see all cities ranked within it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which US state has the lowest cost of living?
Based on our data, West Virginia has the lowest average cost of living index at 60 (US average = 100), averaging $901/month in rent.
Which US state has the highest cost of living?
Hawaii has the highest average cost of living index at 183, driven primarily by high housing costs.
Which states have no income tax?
Nine US states have no state income tax: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. This can significantly reduce your overall cost burden.
How is the state cost index calculated?
The state cost index is the average of all city-level cost indices within that state. Each city index is a weighted composite of median rent (40%), home value (35%), and owner costs (25%), with the US median as a baseline of 100.