Introduction
Many factors interplay to determine how expensive it is to live in a particular state. Things like local and state taxes, the number of people living in a particular area, and the cost of travel and energy greatly influence how expensive or cheap one’s living accommodations are. If a person is planning to move to a different state, how expensive it is to live in the prospective area of their choice within that state is something they should take into consideration.
One of the greatest factors that determines the cost to live in any state is taxes. Not all states procure an equal portion of income tax or sales tax. Some states have incredibly high income tax, so that the percentage of a person’s take-home pay is much lower than it would otherwise be. On the other hand, some states don’t have an income or sales tax, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll be less expensive to live in.
Although taxes play a primarily role in determining the cost of living in any particular state, the cost of energy plays an almost equal role. The primary energy sources that most people pay for are gas, electricity, and water. The cost of electricity varies significantly from state to state, and if someone lives in a state that experiences four seasons, the electricity bills that people see may shrink or expand depending on how they heat and cool their homes.
To learn more about the most expensive states to live in, scroll the charts.
| # | State | Average Living Wage | Minimum Wage | Median Household Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $23.13 | $10.5 | $90,640 |
| 2 | Hawaii | $21.99 | $10.1 | $82,199 |
| 3 | New York | $21.99 | $13.2 | $72,920 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $21.88 | $14.25 | $86,566 |
| 5 | California | $21.82 | $14 | $81,575 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $20.57 | $13 | $88,559 |
| 7 | Maryland | $19.74 | $12.5 | $97,332 |
| 8 | Oregon | $19.51 | $13.5 | $81,855 |
| 9 | Virginia | $19.4 | $11 | $80,268 |
| 10 | Colorado | $19.16 | $12.56 | $84,954 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $19 | $14 | $80,958 |
| 12 | Washington | $18.54 | $14.49 | $87,648 |
| 13 | Illinois | $18.16 | $12 | $79,253 |
| 14 | Maine | $17.88 | $12.75 | $71,139 |
| 15 | Vermont | $17.81 | $12.55 | $76,079 |
| 16 | Rhode Island | $17.8 | $12.25 | $74,982 |
| 17 | Delaware | $17.74 | $15.2 | $68,687 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $17.74 | $10.33 | $80,441 |
| 19 | Georgia | $17.64 | $7.25 | $61,497 |
| 20 | South Carolina | $17.47 | $7.25 | $62,542 |
| 21 | Arizona | $17.43 | $12.8 | $70,821 |
| 22 | New Hampshire | $17.32 | $7.25 | $88,841 |
| 23 | Florida | $17.24 | $10 | $59,734 |
| 24 | North Carolina | $17.14 | $7.25 | $62,891 |
| 25 | Utah | $16.98 | $7.25 | $87,649 |
| 26 | Alaska | $16.72 | $10.34 | $81,133 |
| 27 | Pennsylvania | $16.67 | $7.25 | $72,627 |
| 28 | Nebraska | $16.6 | $9 | $78,109 |
| 29 | Texas | $16.41 | $7.25 | $67,404 |
| 30 | Wisconsin | $16.4 | $7.25 | $69,943 |
| 31 | Kansas | $16.38 | $7.25 | $75,979 |
| 32 | Michigan | $16.36 | $9.87 | $64,488 |
| 33 | Montana | $16.32 | $9.2 | $64,999 |
| 34 | Missouri | $16.29 | $11.15 | $63,594 |
| 35 | New Mexico | $16.25 | $11.5 | $53,463 |
| 36 | Nevada | $16.24 | $10.5 | $64,340 |
| 37 | Iowa | $16.18 | $7.25 | $72,429 |
| 38 | Idaho | $16.16 | $7.25 | $76,918 |
| 39 | Louisiana | $16.15 | $7.25 | $57,206 |
| 40 | Alabama | $15.91 | $7.25 | $56,929 |
| 41 | Indiana | $15.79 | $7.25 | $70,190 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $15.75 | $7.25 | $60,096 |
| 43 | Mississippi | $15.66 | $7.25 | $46,637 |
| 44 | Ohio | $15.61 | $9.3 | $62,689 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $15.55 | $11 | $50,784 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $15.46 | $7.25 | $55,629 |
| 47 | Tennessee | $15.45 | $7.25 | $62,166 |
| 48 | West Virginia | $15.45 | $8.75 | $46,836 |
| 49 | North Dakota | $15.37 | $7.25 | $68,882 |
| 50 | Wyoming | $15.25 | $7.25 | $71,052 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $14.85 | $9.95 | $73,893 |
Average Living Wage by State
Alabama
Average Living Wage
$15.91
Ranked in the US
#40
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#32
$56,929
Ranked in the US
#46
Alaska
Average Living Wage
$16.72
Ranked in the US
#26
$10.34
Ranked in the US
#22
$81,133
Ranked in the US
#12
Arizona
Average Living Wage
$17.43
Ranked in the US
#21
$12.8
Ranked in the US
#9
$70,821
Ranked in the US
#28
Arkansas
Average Living Wage
$15.55
Ranked in the US
#45
$11
Ranked in the US
#18
$50,784
Ranked in the US
#49
California
Average Living Wage
$21.82
Ranked in the US
#5
$14
Ranked in the US
#4
$81,575
Ranked in the US
#11
Colorado
Average Living Wage
$19.16
Ranked in the US
#10
$12.56
Ranked in the US
#11
$84,954
Ranked in the US
#8
Connecticut
Average Living Wage
$19
Ranked in the US
#11
$14
Ranked in the US
#5
$80,958
Ranked in the US
#13
Delaware
Average Living Wage
$17.74
Ranked in the US
#17
$15.2
Ranked in the US
#1
$68,687
Ranked in the US
#32
District of Columbia
Average Living Wage
$23.13
Ranked in the US
#1
$10.5
Ranked in the US
#20
$90,640
Ranked in the US
#2
Florida
Average Living Wage
$17.24
Ranked in the US
#23
$10
Ranked in the US
#25
$59,734
Ranked in the US
#44
Georgia
Average Living Wage
$17.64
Ranked in the US
#19
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#33
$61,497
Ranked in the US
#42
With price levels being 5.56% lower than the overall national price level, Georgia is the twenty-fifth cheapest in the nation. Georgia residents pay less for housing than the national average and have lower food costs than most other states. Transportation costs are also quite reasonable compared to other states. Furthermore, Georgia's sheer abundance of natural beauty and pleasant climate make it an attractive place to reside for many people looking for a cheaper cost of living.
Hawaii
Average Living Wage
$21.99
Ranked in the US
#2
$10.1
Ranked in the US
#24
$82,199
Ranked in the US
#9
Idaho
Average Living Wage
$16.16
Ranked in the US
#38
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#34
$76,918
Ranked in the US
#18
Illinois
Average Living Wage
$18.16
Ranked in the US
#13
$12
Ranked in the US
#15
$79,253
Ranked in the US
#16
Indiana
Average Living Wage
$15.79
Ranked in the US
#41
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#35
$70,190
Ranked in the US
#29
Iowa
Average Living Wage
$16.18
Ranked in the US
#37
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#36
$72,429
Ranked in the US
#25
Kansas
Average Living Wage
$16.38
Ranked in the US
#31
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#37
$75,979
Ranked in the US
#20
Kentucky
Average Living Wage
$15.46
Ranked in the US
#46
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#38
$55,629
Ranked in the US
#47
Louisiana
Average Living Wage
$16.15
Ranked in the US
#39
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#39
$57,206
Ranked in the US
#45
Maine
Average Living Wage
$17.88
Ranked in the US
#14
$12.75
Ranked in the US
#10
$71,139
Ranked in the US
#26
Maryland
Average Living Wage
$19.74
Ranked in the US
#7
$12.5
Ranked in the US
#13
$97,332
Ranked in the US
#1
Massachusetts
Average Living Wage
$21.88
Ranked in the US
#4
$14.25
Ranked in the US
#3
$86,566
Ranked in the US
#7
Michigan
Average Living Wage
$16.36
Ranked in the US
#32
$9.87
Ranked in the US
#27
$64,488
Ranked in the US
#35
Minnesota
Average Living Wage
$17.74
Ranked in the US
#18
$10.33
Ranked in the US
#23
$80,441
Ranked in the US
#14
Mississippi
Average Living Wage
$15.66
Ranked in the US
#43
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#40
$46,637
Ranked in the US
#51
Missouri
Average Living Wage
$16.29
Ranked in the US
#34
$11.15
Ranked in the US
#17
$63,594
Ranked in the US
#37
Montana
Average Living Wage
$16.32
Ranked in the US
#33
$9.2
Ranked in the US
#29
$64,999
Ranked in the US
#34
Nebraska
Average Living Wage
$16.6
Ranked in the US
#28
Ranked in the US
#30
$78,109
Ranked in the US
#17
Nevada
Average Living Wage
$16.24
Ranked in the US
#36
$10.5
Ranked in the US
#21
$64,340
Ranked in the US
#36
New Hampshire
Average Living Wage
$17.32
Ranked in the US
#22
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#41
$88,841
Ranked in the US
#3
New Jersey
Average Living Wage
$20.57
Ranked in the US
#6
$13
Ranked in the US
#8
$88,559
Ranked in the US
#4
New Mexico
Average Living Wage
$16.25
Ranked in the US
#35
$11.5
Ranked in the US
#16
$53,463
Ranked in the US
#48
New York
Average Living Wage
$21.99
Ranked in the US
#3
$13.2
Ranked in the US
#7
$72,920
Ranked in the US
#23
North Carolina
Average Living Wage
$17.14
Ranked in the US
#24
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#42
$62,891
Ranked in the US
#38
North Dakota
Average Living Wage
$15.37
Ranked in the US
#49
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#43
$68,882
Ranked in the US
#31
Ohio
Average Living Wage
$15.61
Ranked in the US
#44
$9.3
Ranked in the US
#28
$62,689
Ranked in the US
#39
Oklahoma
Average Living Wage
$15.75
Ranked in the US
#42
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#44
$60,096
Ranked in the US
#43
Oregon
Average Living Wage
$19.51
Ranked in the US
#8
$13.5
Ranked in the US
#6
$81,855
Ranked in the US
#10
Pennsylvania
Average Living Wage
$16.67
Ranked in the US
#27
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#45
$72,627
Ranked in the US
#24
Rhode Island
Average Living Wage
$17.8
Ranked in the US
#16
$12.25
Ranked in the US
#14
$74,982
Ranked in the US
#21
South Carolina
Average Living Wage
$17.47
Ranked in the US
#20
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#46
$62,542
Ranked in the US
#40
South Dakota
Average Living Wage
$14.85
Ranked in the US
#51
$9.95
Ranked in the US
#26
$73,893
Ranked in the US
#22
Tennessee
Average Living Wage
$15.45
Ranked in the US
#47
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#47
$62,166
Ranked in the US
#41
Texas
Average Living Wage
$16.41
Ranked in the US
#29
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#48
$67,404
Ranked in the US
#33
Utah
Average Living Wage
$16.98
Ranked in the US
#25
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#49
$87,649
Ranked in the US
#5
Vermont
Average Living Wage
$17.81
Ranked in the US
#15
$12.55
Ranked in the US
#12
$76,079
Ranked in the US
#19
Virginia
Average Living Wage
$19.4
Ranked in the US
#9
$11
Ranked in the US
#19
$80,268
Ranked in the US
#15
Washington
Average Living Wage
$18.54
Ranked in the US
#12
$14.49
Ranked in the US
#2
$87,648
Ranked in the US
#6
West Virginia
Average Living Wage
$15.45
Ranked in the US
#48
$8.75
Ranked in the US
#31
$46,836
Ranked in the US
#50
Wisconsin
Average Living Wage
$16.4
Ranked in the US
#30
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#50
$69,943
Ranked in the US
#30
Wyoming
Average Living Wage
$15.25
Ranked in the US
#50
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#51
$71,052
Ranked in the US
#27