Cost of Living by State Rankings
The cost of living index measures relative price levels across states, with 100 as the national average. States below 100 are cheaper than average; above 100 are more expensive. Housing is typically the biggest factor.
- Oklahoma ranks #1 with the lowest col index at 83.5.
- Hawaii ranks last at 184.8 — the highest among all states.
- The top 5 states are Oklahoma, Alabama, Mississippi, Kansas, West Virginia.
- The ranking basis, source limitations, and calculation method are documented in the Methodology section below.
Top 3 States
All 50 States Ranked
Lowest to highest by col index
| # | State | COL Index | Median Home Price | Median Income | Calculator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oklahoma | 83.5 | $225,000 | $66,148 | COL Calculator |
| 2 | Alabama | 85 | $242,000 | $66,659 | COL Calculator |
| 3 | Mississippi | 86.2 | $198,000 | $59,127 | COL Calculator |
| 4 | Kansas | 87.6 | $253,000 | $75,514 | COL Calculator |
| 5 | West Virginia | 87.9 | $183,000 | $60,798 | COL Calculator |
| 6 | Indiana | 88.3 | $262,000 | $71,959 | COL Calculator |
| 7 | Iowa | 88.6 | $241,000 | $75,501 | COL Calculator |
| 8 | Missouri | 88.6 | $272,000 | $71,589 | COL Calculator |
| 9 | Tennessee | 88.9 | $339,000 | $71,997 | COL Calculator |
| 10 | Arkansas | 89.1 | $229,000 | $62,106 | COL Calculator |
| 11 | New Mexico | 89.9 | $321,000 | $67,816 | COL Calculator |
| 12 | Georgia | 90.6 | $335,000 | $79,991 | COL Calculator |
| 13 | North Dakota | 90.7 | $294,000 | $77,871 | COL Calculator |
| 14 | Texas | 90.7 | $303,000 | $79,721 | COL Calculator |
| 15 | Louisiana | 91.1 | $218,000 | $60,986 | COL Calculator |
| 16 | Nebraska | 91.3 | $284,000 | $76,376 | COL Calculator |
| 17 | South Carolina | 91.9 | $309,000 | $72,350 | COL Calculator |
| 18 | Kentucky | 92.5 | $235,000 | $64,526 | COL Calculator |
| 19 | Minnesota | 93.4 | $357,000 | $87,117 | COL Calculator |
| 20 | Ohio | 93.7 | $252,000 | $72,212 | COL Calculator |
| 21 | Wyoming | 93.7 | $373,000 | $75,532 | COL Calculator |
| 22 | Michigan | 93.9 | $270,000 | $72,389 | COL Calculator |
| 23 | South Dakota | 94.1 | $326,000 | $76,881 | COL Calculator |
| 24 | Illinois | 95.1 | $299,000 | $83,211 | COL Calculator |
| 25 | Pennsylvania | 96.2 | $294,000 | $77,545 | COL Calculator |
| 26 | North Carolina | 96.6 | $340,000 | $73,958 | COL Calculator |
| 27 | Wisconsin | 97.4 | $342,000 | $77,488 | COL Calculator |
| 28 | Virginia | 99.1 | $420,000 | $92,090 | COL Calculator |
| 29 | Utah | 100.6 | $542,000 | $96,658 | COL Calculator |
| 30 | Florida | 100.7 | $378,000 | $77,735 | COL Calculator |
| 31 | Nevada | 100.7 | $448,000 | $81,134 | COL Calculator |
| 32 | Delaware | 101.7 | $412,000 | $87,534 | COL Calculator |
| 33 | Idaho | 101.7 | $482,000 | $81,166 | COL Calculator |
| 34 | Colorado | 101.8 | $543,000 | $97,113 | COL Calculator |
| 35 | Montana | 105.9 | $476,000 | $75,340 | COL Calculator |
| 36 | Arizona | 107.6 | $423,000 | $81,486 | COL Calculator |
| 37 | Oregon | 109.6 | $504,000 | $85,220 | COL Calculator |
| 38 | New Hampshire | 110.1 | $523,000 | $99,782 | COL Calculator |
| 39 | Rhode Island | 111.2 | $517,000 | $83,504 | COL Calculator |
| 40 | Vermont | 113 | $402,000 | $82,730 | COL Calculator |
| 41 | Connecticut | 114.2 | $455,000 | $96,049 | COL Calculator |
| 42 | Maine | 114.6 | $424,000 | $76,442 | COL Calculator |
| 43 | Washington | 114.6 | $603,000 | $99,389 | COL Calculator |
| 44 | New Jersey | 118.8 | $585,000 | $104,294 | COL Calculator |
| 45 | Maryland | 121.1 | $436,000 | $102,905 | COL Calculator |
| 46 | New York | 124.7 | $526,000 | $85,820 | COL Calculator |
| 47 | Alaska | 129 | $401,000 | $95,665 | COL Calculator |
| 48 | California | 140.5 | $776,000 | $100,149 | COL Calculator |
| 49 | Massachusetts | 147.8 | $673,000 | $104,828 | COL Calculator |
| 50 | Hawaii | 184.8 | $837,000 | $100,745 | COL Calculator |
Methodology
How we collected and ranked the data
Cost of living index from Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities. Index of 100 = national average. Housing, food, transportation, and other goods/services are weighted.
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View all 107 state comparisonsFrequently Asked Questions
Which state has the lowest cost of living?
Mississippi consistently ranks as the most affordable state, with a cost of living index well below 100. Oklahoma, Kansas, and Alabama are also very affordable.
What does a cost of living index of 90 mean?
A COL index of 90 means that state is 10% cheaper than the national average. You'd need $90,000 in that state to match the buying power of $100,000 nationally.