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- Prices of groceries and housing are going up across the US.
- US News & World Report ranked all US states based on their affordability.
- It ranked Arkansas as the most affordable state in the US, and California as the least affordable.
From groceries to housing, living is getting more expensive, but some states are feeling the effects of rising prices more than others.
While states like Hawaii and California are seeing increases in housing costs, others like Florida are experiencing falling real-estate prices thanks to rising inventory and insurance costs.
US News & World Report recently ranked all 50 US states by affordability, using US Bureau of Economic Analysis data to determine each state’s housing affordability and cost of living.
The list is just one part of US News & World Report’s comparison of US states, which it ranks by categories including opportunity, education, healthcare, and fiscal stability, among others. These categories ultimately contribute to its best states overall ranking. For the full report and rankings, see here.
Here are the 10 most affordable states in the US, followed by the 10 least affordable, per US News & World Report.
The below list also indicates where each state landed on the report’s best states overall ranking, and includes the median income in each state, using the most recent data from the US Census Bureau‘s American Community Survey, which estimated median incomes in 2024.
1. Arkansas
Cost of living ranking: 1
Housing affordability ranking: 3
Median household income: $62,106
In US News & World Report’s ranking of best states overall — of which affordability is one consideration — Arkansas comes 44th.
2. Mississippi
Cost of living ranking: 2
Housing affordability ranking: 1
Median household income: $59,127
In the best states overall ranking, Mississippi fares less well, ranking 48th.
3. West Virginia
Cost of living ranking: 8
Housing affordability ranking: 2
Median household income: $60,798
West Virginia was ranked 46th in the best states overall ranking.
4. South Dakota
Cost of living ranking: 3
Housing affordability ranking: 6
Median household income: $76,881
South Dakota came 8th in the overall best states ranking.
5. Oklahoma
Cost of living ranking: 4
Housing affordability ranking: 7
Median household income: $66,148
The report ranked Oklahoma the 42nd best state overall.
6. Louisiana
Cost of living ranking: 5
Housing affordability ranking: 8
Median household income: $60,986
The state was ranked last on the best states overall list.
7. Iowa
Cost of living ranking: 7
Housing affordability ranking: 9
Median household income: $75,501
Iowa is the 14th best state overall, per US News & World Report.
8. Alabama
Cost of living ranking: 10
Housing affordability ranking: 4
Median household income: $66,659
However, Alabama comes 45th in the best states overall ranking.
9. North Dakota
Cost of living ranking: 6
Housing affordability ranking: 11
Median household income: $77,871
Oregon is the 12th best state overall, when considering all metrics, per the report.
10. Kentucky
Cost of living ranking: 14
Housing affordability ranking: 5
Median household income: $64,526
Kentucky is the 39th best state overall.
41. Maryland
Cost of living ranking: 42
Housing affordability ranking: 42
Median household income: $102,905
Maryland was named the 20th best state in the report’s overall rankings.
42. New Hampshire
Cost of living ranking: 44
Housing affordability ranking: 40
Median household income: $99,782
The state was also ranked as the second-best state overall by US News & World Report.
43. Colorado
Cost of living ranking: 37
Housing affordability ranking: 48
Median household income: $97,113
Colorado was named the 11th best state overall by the report.
44. Florida
Cost of living ranking: 40
Housing affordability ranking: 44
Median household income: $77,735
Florida ranked 6th best state overall when considering affordability and other factors.
45. New York
Cost of living ranking: 45
Housing affordability ranking: 43
Median household income: $85,820
New York was named the 22nd best state overall.
46. Washington
Cost of living ranking: 47
Housing affordability ranking: 45
Median household income: $99,389
Washington came 10th in the best states overall ranking.
47. Massachusetts
Cost of living ranking: 46
Housing affordability ranking: 47
Median household income: $104,828
US News & World Report named Massachusetts the 9th best state in its overall ranking.
48. Hawaii
Cost of living ranking: 48
Housing affordability ranking: 46
Median household income: $100,745
The state ranked 28th in the overall ranking.
49. New Jersey
Cost of living ranking: 49
Housing affordability ranking: 49
Median household income: $104,294
New Jersey came 19th in US News & World Report’s best states overall ranking.
50. California
Cost of living ranking: 50
Housing affordability ranking: 50
Median household income: $100,149
In the best states overall ranking, California is ranked No. 37.
Read the full article here
