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Average Monthly Budget by State 2026

What does a typical month cost in your state? Rent, groceries, utilities, gas, healthcare, and taxes for all 50 states.

$2,774/mo
Best (Mississippi)
$6,342/mo
Worst (Hawaii)
$3,924/mo
Average
$3,729/mo
Median

Top 5 States

#1 Mississippi$2,774/mo
#2 West Virginia$2,808/mo
#3 Arkansas$2,932/mo
#4 Kentucky$3,097/mo
#5 Louisiana$3,119/mo

Bottom 5 States

#50 Hawaii$6,342/mo
#49 California$5,661/mo
#48 New Jersey$5,375/mo
#47 Massachusetts$5,342/mo
#46 Maryland$5,096/mo

All 50 States — Monthly Budget

#State Monthly Budget VisualIncome COL Grade
#1Mississippi$2,774/mo
$46,50083A+
#2West Virginia$2,808/mo
$48,00084A+
#3Arkansas$2,932/mo
$52,10084A+
#4Kentucky$3,097/mo
$55,60087A+
#5Louisiana$3,119/mo
$52,30091A+
#6Oklahoma$3,159/mo
$55,80086A+
#7South Dakota$3,161/mo
$62,10091A+
#8New Mexico$3,182/mo
$53,00091A+
#9Alabama$3,217/mo
$56,20087A+
#10Indiana$3,233/mo
$58,60090A+
#11Ohio$3,283/mo
$59,30089A+
#12Wyoming$3,290/mo
$65,00095A+
#13Tennessee$3,300/mo
$59,70091A+
#14Missouri$3,376/mo
$61,00088A
#15North Dakota$3,401/mo
$64,80093A
#16Kansas$3,471/mo
$62,10089A
#17Iowa$3,472/mo
$63,20090A
#18Michigan$3,482/mo
$63,40089A
#19South Carolina$3,509/mo
$56,20092A
#20Montana$3,577/mo
$60,600103A
#21Nebraska$3,600/mo
$66,50091A
#22North Carolina$3,652/mo
$61,00095A
#23Idaho$3,665/mo
$62,30097A
#24Texas$3,678/mo
$67,30093A
#25Pennsylvania$3,709/mo
$67,60094A
#26Wisconsin$3,729/mo
$64,80093A
#27Nevada$3,748/mo
$64,200104A
#28Georgia$3,877/mo
$63,40093B+
#29Arizona$3,930/mo
$65,600103B+
#30Maine$3,932/mo
$63,200109B+
#31Florida$3,940/mo
$63,100103B+
#32Illinois$4,016/mo
$72,20093B+
#33Vermont$4,099/mo
$63,400110B+
#34Delaware$4,100/mo
$69,100102B+
#35Utah$4,161/mo
$75,600103B+
#36Rhode Island$4,248/mo
$71,200109B+
#37New Hampshire$4,331/mo
$83,300112B+
#38Alaska$4,387/mo
$77,800127B
#39Minnesota$4,440/mo
$77,70097B
#40Washington$4,493/mo
$82,100115B
#41Virginia$4,568/mo
$80,600103B
#42Oregon$4,582/mo
$71,200113B
#43Colorado$4,648/mo
$80,200105B
#44Connecticut$4,938/mo
$83,800121C
#45New York$5,073/mo
$75,900139C
#46Maryland$5,096/mo
$90,200118C
#47Massachusetts$5,342/mo
$89,700135C
#48New Jersey$5,375/mo
$87,700121C
#49California$5,661/mo
$84,900142D
#50Hawaii$6,342/mo
$84,900190F

Key Takeaways

Based on our analysis of monthly expenses across all 50 states, Mississippi ranks #1 with $2,774/mo, while Hawaii ranks last at $6,342/mo. The national average is $3,924/mo.

States with no income tax (Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Wyoming) generally perform well on affordability metrics due to higher effective take-home pay.

The gap between the best and worst state is significant: $3,568/mo. This means your choice of state can make a dramatic difference in your monthly expenses. Use our budget planner calculator to run the numbers for your specific situation.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What state has the best monthly expenses?

Mississippi ranks #1 with $2,774/mo. West Virginia and Arkansas round out the top 3.

What state has the worst monthly expenses?

Hawaii ranks last (#50) with $6,342/mo. California and New Jersey are also among the worst.

What is the national average for monthly expenses?

The average across all 50 states is $3,924/mo. The median is $3,729/mo.

How is this data calculated?

This data is calculated using the latest available median income, housing prices, cost of living indices, tax rates, and expense data for each state. Our methodology uses consistent formulas applied to all 50 states for fair comparison.

Data & Research

State RankingsSalary DataFinancial by AgeMortgage DataInsurance DataCredit Card DataTax Brackets 2026Minimum Wage

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