Cost of Living by State
Compare housing costs and affordability across all 50 states and DC, ranked by average monthly rent.
All States Ranked by Cost of Living
Sorted by average monthly rent, most expensive first. Click any state to see county-level data.
State values are averages of county-level medians, not personalized household budgets. Compare rent with home value, owner cost, income, commute, taxes, insurance, and local availability before treating a lower rank as a better fit.
| Rank | State | Avg. Monthly Rent | Avg. Home Value | Avg. Owner Cost | Affordability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia1 counties | $1,954/mo | $737,100 | $2,596/mo | Very Expensive |
| 2 | Hawaii5 counties | $1,730/mo | $798,675 | $1,834/mo | Expensive |
| 3 | California58 counties | $1,691/mo | $604,112 | $1,881/mo | Expensive |
| 4 | New Jersey21 counties | $1,635/mo | $430,014 | $2,126/mo | Expensive |
| 5 | Massachusetts14 counties | $1,616/mo | $634,257 | $2,087/mo | Expensive |
| 6 | Maryland24 counties | $1,459/mo | $370,017 | $1,660/mo | Expensive |
| 7 | Connecticut9 counties | $1,454/mo | $380,278 | $1,920/mo | Expensive |
| 8 | Rhode Island5 counties | $1,441/mo | $474,800 | $1,883/mo | Expensive |
| 9 | Delaware3 counties | $1,347/mo | $350,467 | $1,332/mo | Moderate |
| 10 | New Hampshire10 counties | $1,318/mo | $349,500 | $1,576/mo | Moderate |
| 11 | Florida67 counties | $1,304/mo | $284,325 | $1,039/mo | Moderate |
| 12 | Colorado64 counties | $1,303/mo | $427,513 | $1,272/mo | Moderate |
| 13 | Washington39 counties | $1,251/mo | $436,313 | $1,320/mo | Moderate |
| 14 | Alaska30 counties | $1,248/mo | $283,493 | $998/mo | Moderate |
| 15 | Oregon36 counties | $1,191/mo | $386,692 | $1,215/mo | Moderate |
| 16 | Virginia133 counties | $1,170/mo | $295,808 | $1,190/mo | Moderate |
| 17 | Nevada17 counties | $1,169/mo | $306,635 | $1,040/mo | Moderate |
| 18 | New York62 counties | $1,168/mo | $281,200 | $1,352/mo | Moderate |
| 19 | Utah29 counties | $1,149/mo | $418,721 | $1,201/mo | Moderate |
| 20 | Vermont14 counties | $1,132/mo | $292,950 | $1,370/mo | Moderate |
| 21 | Arizona15 counties | $1,074/mo | $265,720 | $849/mo | Moderate |
| 22 | Maine16 counties | $1,020/mo | $260,725 | $1,079/mo | Moderate |
| 23 | Texas252 counties | $995/mo | $185,237 | $879/mo | Affordable |
| 24 | Pennsylvania67 counties | $991/mo | $212,079 | $1,010/mo | Affordable |
| 25 | South Carolina46 counties | $985/mo | $199,733 | $791/mo | Affordable |
| 26 | North Carolina100 counties | $977/mo | $235,312 | $927/mo | Affordable |
| 27 | Idaho44 counties | $968/mo | $355,261 | $968/mo | Affordable |
| 28 | Georgia159 counties | $965/mo | $197,933 | $905/mo | Affordable |
| 29 | Wyoming23 counties | $941/mo | $346,991 | $1,036/mo | Affordable |
| 30 | Minnesota87 counties | $938/mo | $238,336 | $1,116/mo | Affordable |
| 31 | Wisconsin72 counties | $916/mo | $234,086 | $1,072/mo | Affordable |
| 32 | Louisiana64 counties | $914/mo | $167,369 | $738/mo | Affordable |
| 33 | Indiana92 counties | $911/mo | $191,899 | $951/mo | Affordable |
| 34 | Michigan83 counties | $906/mo | $197,293 | $918/mo | Affordable |
| 35 | New Mexico33 counties | $905/mo | $192,727 | $711/mo | Affordable |
| 36 | Ohio88 counties | $904/mo | $196,325 | $974/mo | Affordable |
| 37 | Tennessee95 counties | $893/mo | $223,385 | $788/mo | Affordable |
| 38 | Illinois102 counties | $867/mo | $153,020 | $960/mo | Affordable |
| 39 | Montana56 counties | $842/mo | $276,877 | $842/mo | Affordable |
| 40 | Oklahoma77 counties | $839/mo | $152,013 | $755/mo | Affordable |
| 41 | Iowa99 counties | $832/mo | $171,037 | $950/mo | Affordable |
| 42 | Alabama67 counties | $820/mo | $159,660 | $706/mo | Affordable |
| 43 | Mississippi82 counties | $805/mo | $135,817 | $676/mo | Affordable |
| 44 | Kansas105 counties | $802/mo | $138,825 | $861/mo | Affordable |
| 45 | Nebraska93 counties | $797/mo | $164,635 | $860/mo | Affordable |
| 46 | Kentucky120 counties | $793/mo | $160,835 | $753/mo | Affordable |
| 47 | South Dakota66 counties | $785/mo | $181,021 | $853/mo | Affordable |
| 48 | Missouri115 counties | $783/mo | $175,712 | $803/mo | Affordable |
| 49 | West Virginia55 counties | $777/mo | $148,004 | $598/mo | Affordable |
| 50 | Arkansas75 counties | $774/mo | $141,465 | $663/mo | Affordable |
| 51 | North Dakota53 counties | $773/mo | $175,787 | $785/mo | Affordable |
Most Expensive States
Top 10 states with the highest average monthly rent.
1
District of Columbia
Avg. home: $737,100
$1,954/mo
2
Hawaii
Avg. home: $798,675
$1,730/mo
3
California
Avg. home: $604,112
$1,691/mo
4
New Jersey
Avg. home: $430,014
$1,635/mo
5
Massachusetts
Avg. home: $634,257
$1,616/mo
6
Maryland
Avg. home: $370,017
$1,459/mo
7
Connecticut
Avg. home: $380,278
$1,454/mo
8
Rhode Island
Avg. home: $474,800
$1,441/mo
9
Delaware
Avg. home: $350,467
$1,347/mo
10
New Hampshire
Avg. home: $349,500
$1,318/mo
Most Affordable States
Top 10 states with the lowest average monthly rent.
1
North Dakota
Avg. home: $175,787
$773/mo
2
Arkansas
Avg. home: $141,465
$774/mo
3
West Virginia
Avg. home: $148,004
$777/mo
4
Missouri
Avg. home: $175,712
$783/mo
5
South Dakota
Avg. home: $181,021
$785/mo
6
Kentucky
Avg. home: $160,835
$793/mo
7
Nebraska
Avg. home: $164,635
$797/mo
8
Kansas
Avg. home: $138,825
$802/mo
9
Mississippi
Avg. home: $135,817
$805/mo
10
Alabama
Avg. home: $159,660
$820/mo
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2020-2024). Data is informational only and is not personalized financial advice.