Cost of living by state: cheapest and most expensive states
Cheapest of all states to live in is Arkansas, where prices sit at 86.9 under BEA's 2024 regional price parities (RPP), 13.1% below the US average of 100; California comes in highest at 110.7.
- State with the lowest cost of living
- 86.9Arkansas, US = 100
- State with the highest prices
- 110.7California, US = 100
- Lowest value of a typical home
- $176,576In West Virginia, September 2026.
- Price to income: lowest
- 2.9West Virginia, US 4.5 (state, US).
Cheapest states to live in
The US average is set at 100. A regional price parity compares the cost of one basket of goods and services in a state with that average. Most of the difference between states comes from housing. West Virginia has a housing level of 54.2, the lowest in the country, and goods at 96.5.
| State | Price level | Housing | Goods | Typical home value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas | 86.9 | 58.2 | 93.6 | $224,158 |
| Mississippi | 87.0 | 56.5 | 96.2 | $194,531 |
| Iowa | 87.8 | 65.3 | 93.7 | $236,623 |
| Oklahoma | 87.8 | 62.8 | 93.8 | $220,801 |
| Louisiana | 88.2 | 63.1 | 93.7 | $213,867 |
| South Dakota | 88.6 | 67.6 | 95.5 | $317,874 |
| Alabama | 88.8 | 61.8 | 96.4 | $238,614 |
| North Dakota | 89.0 | 71.4 | 95.7 | $290,657 |
| West Virginia | 89.5 | 54.2 | 96.5 | $176,576 |
| Kansas | 90.1 | 71.2 | 94.0 | $246,055 |
States with the highest cost of living
At 110.7, California leads the list, 10.7% above the US average. Washington, DC has the highest housing level at 155.0, compared with 100 for the US.
| State | Price level | Housing | Goods | Typical home value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 110.7 | 154.3 | 106.1 | $761,538 |
| Hawaii | 110.0 | 125.3 | 111.6 | $832,932 |
| Washington, DC | 109.9 | 155.0 | 106.5 | $567,271 |
| New Jersey | 108.8 | 134.3 | 107.1 | $575,123 |
| New York | 107.9 | 122.2 | 107.3 | $524,942 |
| Washington | 107.0 | 126.0 | 104.4 | $587,533 |
| Massachusetts | 105.8 | 128.1 | 98.8 | $655,219 |
| Maryland | 105.0 | 121.1 | 102.5 | $424,890 |
| New Hampshire | 104.2 | 114.9 | 98.6 | $510,937 |
| Connecticut | 103.6 | 117.0 | 97.3 | $447,319 |
Comparing cost of living in each state
Cheapest first, all 51 rows; click a column to sort. Median income means the Census median household income, while price to income divides the typical home value by that income.
| State | Price level | Housing | Goods | Utilities | Median income | Typical home value | Price to income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas | 86.9 | 58.2 | 93.6 | 74.7 | $62,106 | $224,158 | 3.6 |
| Mississippi | 87.0 | 56.5 | 96.2 | 78.4 | $59,127 | $194,531 | 3.3 |
| Iowa | 87.8 | 65.3 | 93.7 | 83.3 | $75,501 | $236,623 | 3.1 |
| Oklahoma | 87.8 | 62.8 | 93.8 | 73.9 | $66,148 | $220,801 | 3.3 |
| Louisiana | 88.2 | 63.1 | 93.7 | 71.5 | $60,986 | $213,867 | 3.5 |
| South Dakota | 88.6 | 67.6 | 95.5 | 79.7 | $76,881 | $317,874 | 4.1 |
| Alabama | 88.8 | 61.8 | 96.4 | 84.6 | $66,659 | $238,614 | 3.6 |
| North Dakota | 89.0 | 71.4 | 95.7 | 73.7 | $77,871 | $290,657 | 3.7 |
| West Virginia | 89.5 | 54.2 | 96.5 | 92.2 | $60,798 | $176,576 | 2.9 |
| Kansas | 90.1 | 71.2 | 94.0 | 88.4 | $75,514 | $246,055 | 3.3 |
| Nebraska | 90.1 | 75.2 | 94.1 | 75.6 | $76,376 | $278,299 | 3.6 |
| Kentucky | 90.2 | 64.3 | 96.0 | 75.3 | $64,526 | $230,909 | 3.6 |
| Missouri | 90.8 | 69.9 | 96.3 | 79.4 | $71,589 | $265,387 | 3.7 |
| Tennessee | 91.9 | 79.1 | 96.2 | 72.1 | $71,997 | $330,844 | 4.6 |
| New Mexico | 92.2 | 73.6 | 96.1 | 77.9 | $67,816 | $315,812 | 4.7 |
| Wyoming | 92.7 | 71.1 | 95.4 | 78.4 | $75,532 | $369,044 | 4.9 |
| Ohio | 92.8 | 73.0 | 93.7 | 95.8 | $72,212 | $245,982 | 3.4 |
| Indiana | 93.3 | 73.9 | 95.5 | 85.5 | $71,959 | $257,165 | 3.6 |
| South Carolina | 93.7 | 80.5 | 96.3 | 88.3 | $72,350 | $304,319 | 4.2 |
| Wisconsin | 94.1 | 79.3 | 94.3 | 89.9 | $77,488 | $337,196 | 4.4 |
| North Carolina | 94.3 | 81.4 | 96.6 | 88.6 | $73,958 | $332,159 | 4.5 |
| Montana | 94.6 | 84.6 | 96.0 | 72.3 | $75,340 | $467,275 | 6.2 |
| Idaho | 95.5 | 90.0 | 96.3 | 70.4 | $81,166 | $476,754 | 5.9 |
| Michigan | 96.2 | 82.3 | 96.0 | 100.2 | $72,389 | $263,760 | 3.6 |
| Georgia | 96.3 | 88.7 | 98.9 | 92.8 | $79,991 | $329,115 | 4.1 |
| Maine | 97.0 | 78.9 | 97.2 | 135.2 | $76,442 | $412,002 | 5.4 |
| Texas | 97.1 | 96.5 | 98.1 | 87.5 | $79,721 | $296,424 | 3.7 |
| Pennsylvania | 97.6 | 85.1 | 99.4 | 109.3 | $77,545 | $287,078 | 3.7 |
| Vermont | 98.0 | 86.5 | 97.3 | 125.8 | $82,730 | $391,900 | 4.7 |
| Minnesota | 98.6 | 91.3 | 100.5 | 90.8 | $87,117 | $348,778 | 4.0 |
| Utah | 98.9 | 107.8 | 96.4 | 78.7 | $96,658 | $532,920 | 5.5 |
| Delaware | 99.8 | 102.0 | 96.2 | 103.8 | $87,534 | $405,061 | 4.6 |
| Illinois | 100.0 | 93.9 | 103.8 | 85.0 | $83,211 | $295,943 | 3.6 |
| Nevada | 100.0 | 114.1 | 96.3 | 90.5 | $81,134 | $440,739 | 5.4 |
| Arizona | 100.7 | 106.8 | 95.4 | 92.3 | $81,486 | $416,733 | 5.1 |
| Virginia | 101.1 | 106.8 | 100.4 | 92.2 | $92,090 | $412,252 | 4.5 |
| Rhode Island | 102.3 | 105.6 | 97.2 | 146.7 | $83,504 | $508,507 | 6.1 |
| Alaska | 102.4 | 93.8 | 106.3 | 119.0 | $95,665 | $397,932 | 4.2 |
| Colorado | 103.1 | 127.4 | 98.7 | 85.0 | $97,113 | $529,013 | 5.4 |
| Florida | 103.4 | 122.1 | 98.1 | 90.1 | $77,735 | $375,361 | 4.8 |
| Oregon | 103.4 | 108.6 | 105.3 | 107.0 | $85,220 | $492,753 | 5.8 |
| Connecticut | 103.6 | 117.0 | 97.3 | 146.5 | $96,049 | $447,319 | 4.7 |
| New Hampshire | 104.2 | 114.9 | 98.6 | 133.7 | $99,782 | $510,937 | 5.1 |
| Maryland | 105.0 | 121.1 | 102.5 | 110.9 | $102,905 | $424,890 | 4.1 |
| Massachusetts | 105.8 | 128.1 | 98.8 | 152.1 | $104,828 | $655,219 | 6.3 |
| Washington | 107.0 | 126.0 | 104.4 | 92.9 | $99,389 | $587,533 | 5.9 |
| New York | 107.9 | 122.2 | 107.3 | 134.4 | $85,820 | $524,942 | 6.1 |
| New Jersey | 108.8 | 134.3 | 107.1 | 114.2 | $104,294 | $575,123 | 5.5 |
| Washington, DC | 109.9 | 155.0 | 106.5 | 112.8 | $109,707 | $567,271 | 5.2 |
| Hawaii | 110.0 | 125.3 | 111.6 | 190.2 | $100,745 | $832,932 | 8.3 |
| California | 110.7 | 154.3 | 106.1 | 158.9 | $100,149 | $761,538 | 7.6 |
For price levels, the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis publishes regional price parities by state for 2024, US = 100. BEA price parities. Income: the Census ACS 2024. Home value: the Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), September 2026.
States with the lowest home prices
The Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) tracks the value of a typical home, and it puts West Virginia lowest at $176,576 in September 2026, compared with $366,157 for the US.
| State | Typical home value | 12-month change | Price level |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | $176,576 | +2.6% | 89.5 |
| Mississippi | $194,531 | +2.2% | 87.0 |
| Louisiana | $213,867 | +2.1% | 88.2 |
| Oklahoma | $220,801 | +2.6% | 87.8 |
| Arkansas | $224,158 | +3.4% | 86.9 |
| Kentucky | $230,909 | −0.2% | 90.2 |
| Iowa | $236,623 | +3.3% | 87.8 |
| Alabama | $238,614 | +1.9% | 88.8 |
| Ohio | $245,982 | +3.2% | 92.8 |
| Kansas | $246,055 | +3.5% | 90.1 |
Each state's typical value and how it has changed since 1975: state home prices.
Most affordable state to live in: income as the measure
Against household earnings, West Virginia ranks most affordable: a typical home there costs 2.9 years of median household income, versus 4.5 for the US.
| State | Price to income | Median income | Typical home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | 2.9 | $60,798 | $176,576 |
| Iowa | 3.1 | $75,501 | $236,623 |
| Mississippi | 3.3 | $59,127 | $194,531 |
| Oklahoma | 3.3 | $66,148 | $220,801 |
| Kansas | 3.3 | $75,514 | $246,055 |
| Ohio | 3.4 | $72,212 | $245,982 |
| Louisiana | 3.5 | $60,986 | $213,867 |
| Arkansas | 3.6 | $62,106 | $224,158 |
| Kentucky | 3.6 | $64,526 | $230,909 |
| Alabama | 3.6 | $66,659 | $238,614 |
Compare costs in each city, with the salary you need to move: city cost of living.