Census ACS 5-Year · 52 states
Cheapest States by Cost of Living
The cheapest US states by cost of living are concentrated in the Deep South, Appalachia, and the rural Plains. Mississippi, Arkansas, Alabama, West Virginia, and Kentucky all have BEA Regional Price Parities below 90 — meaning prices are at least 10% below the US average. Most of the price advantage comes from housing: rents and home values are dramatically lower than in expensive coastal states. Lower-cost states also have lower nominal wages, but for residents with portable income (remote workers, retirees), the cost arbitrage is real.
Key Findings
- 1Puerto Rico leads with a price level (US = 100) of -, followed by Arkansas (86.9) and Mississippi (87.0).
- 2The national median across all states is 97.0 (Maine at the midpoint).
- 3The top 10 states are: Puerto Rico, Arkansas, Mississippi, Iowa, Oklahoma, Louisiana, South Dakota, Alabama, North Dakota, West Virginia.
Full Ranking: Cheapest States by Cost of Living
Source: Census ACS 5-Year Estimates
| # | State | Price Level | Nominal Income | COL-Adjusted Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wyoming | 92.7 | $74,815 | $80,714 |
| 2 | Wisconsin | 94.1 | $75,670 | $80,419 |
| 3 | West Virginia | 89.5 | $57,917 | $64,714 |
| 4 | Washington | 107 | $94,952 | $88,729 |
| 5 | Virginia | 101.1 | $90,974 | $89,981 |
| 6 | Vermont | 98 | $78,024 | $79,650 |
| 7 | Utah | 98.9 | $91,750 | $92,804 |
| 8 | Texas | 97.1 | $76,292 | $78,605 |
| 9 | Tennessee | 91.9 | $67,097 | $73,035 |
| 10 | South Dakota | 88.6 | $72,421 | $81,752 |
| 11 | South Carolina | 93.7 | $66,818 | $71,273 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | 102.3 | $86,372 | $84,447 |
| 13 | Puerto Rico | - | $25,096 | - |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | 97.6 | $76,081 | $77,974 |
| 15 | Oregon | 103.4 | $80,426 | $77,811 |
| 16 | Oklahoma | 87.8 | $63,603 | $72,405 |
| 17 | Ohio | 92.8 | $69,680 | $75,107 |
| 18 | North Dakota | 89 | $75,949 | $85,375 |
| 19 | North Carolina | 94.3 | $69,904 | $74,109 |
| 20 | New York | 107.9 | $84,578 | $78,370 |
| 21 | New Mexico | 92.2 | $62,125 | $67,372 |
| 22 | New Jersey | 108.8 | $101,050 | $92,873 |
| 23 | New Hampshire | 104.2 | $95,628 | $91,804 |
| 24 | Nevada | 100 | $75,561 | $75,577 |
| 25 | Nebraska | 90.1 | $74,985 | $83,221 |
| 26 | Montana | 94.6 | $69,922 | $73,878 |
| 27 | Missouri | 90.8 | $68,920 | $75,889 |
| 28 | Mississippi | 87 | $54,915 | $63,155 |
| 29 | Minnesota | 98.6 | $87,556 | $88,780 |
| 30 | Michigan | 96.2 | $71,149 | $73,946 |
| 31 | Massachusetts | 105.8 | $101,341 | $95,824 |
| 32 | Maryland | 105 | $101,652 | $96,849 |
| 33 | Maine | 97.1 | $71,773 | $73,955 |
| 34 | Louisiana | 88.2 | $60,023 | $68,048 |
| 35 | Kentucky | 90.2 | $62,417 | $69,230 |
| 36 | Kansas | 90.1 | $72,639 | $80,649 |
| 37 | Iowa | 87.8 | $73,147 | $83,347 |
| 38 | Indiana | 93.3 | $70,051 | $75,058 |
| 39 | Illinois | 100 | $81,702 | $81,736 |
| 40 | Idaho | 95.5 | $74,636 | $78,158 |
| 41 | Hawaii | 110 | $98,317 | $89,419 |
| 42 | Georgia | 96.3 | $74,664 | $77,538 |
| 43 | Florida | 103.4 | $71,711 | $69,344 |
| 44 | District of Columbia | 109.9 | $106,287 | $96,712 |
| 45 | Delaware | 99.8 | $82,855 | $83,014 |
| 46 | Connecticut | 103.6 | $93,760 | $90,493 |
| 47 | Colorado | 103.1 | $92,470 | $89,731 |
| 48 | California | 110.7 | $96,334 | $87,007 |
| 49 | Arkansas | 86.9 | $58,773 | $67,604 |
| 50 | Arizona | 100.7 | $76,872 | $76,355 |
| 51 | Alaska | 102.4 | $89,336 | $87,277 |
| 52 | Alabama | 88.8 | $62,027 | $69,832 |
Methodology
Rankings are based on American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year estimates from the US Census Bureau. All 50 states and the District of Columbia are included. The ACS surveys approximately 3.5 million households annually and provides detailed demographic, social, economic, and housing data. 5-Year estimates offer the most reliable data for state-level comparisons by averaging responses over a 60-month period. Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Puerto Rico has the highest price level (US = 100) at -, according to latest Census ACS data. Arkansas and Mississippi round out the top three.
California has the lowest price level (US = 100) at 110.7. Hawaii is second-lowest at 110.0.
The median across all 52 states is 97.0. Note that the national median and the state-level median are calculated differently, the state median represents the midpoint when all states are ranked.
This data comes from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year estimates published by the US Census Bureau. The ACS surveys approximately 3.5 million households annually and provides the most comprehensive demographic data available between decennial censuses.
Rankings are based on the latest available Census ACS 5-Year estimates. The Census Bureau releases new ACS data annually. Our data was last updated on April 12, 2026.
Rankings are based on American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year estimates from the US Census Bureau. All 50 states and the District of Columbia are included. The ACS surveys approximately 3.5 million households annually and provides detailed demographic, social, economic, and housing data. 5-Year estimates offer the most reliable data for state-level comparisons by averaging responses over a 60-month period. Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, 2026.