The 10 States Spending the Most (and Least) on Groceries

The USDA states that food costs have climbed over the past few years and will continue to do so in 2025. More specifically, food-at-home prices (grocery store or supermarket food purchases) are expected to increase by 1.3 percent. To see how costs vary across the country, check out the states where consumers spend the lowest and highest amount of their income on groceries.  

For their report, the personal finance site WalletHub examined the grocery prices of various items, including meat, dairy, and vegetables, across all 50 states. The data analysts added up the costs of the products and compared the sum to the median monthly income of each state. WalletHub then ranked the results.

According to their findings, people in many southern states—like South Carolina, Alabama, and Louisiana—spend a significant portion of their paychecks on groceries. This region accounts for eight of the most cost-burdened states in the top 10.

Those in Mississippi spend the biggest proportions of their incomes on groceries overall, with purchases taking up 2.6 percent of the monthly median household income. Although grocery prices are generally low in Mississippi, the state’s median annual household income ($52,985) is the lowest in America. Therefore, residents spend a higher percentage of their earnings on groceries than other states. West Virginia comes in second on the list, mainly due to the state’s median annual household income level of $55,217, the second-lowest in the U.S. West Virginia also has a few higher-than-average prices in common grocery categories, such as eggs and potatoes. Arkansas is the third-most costly state on the list. As you might have guessed, this is also because of the state’s low median annual income ($56,335 per year). 

The top 10 states where consumers spend the biggest chunks of their paychecks (with No. 1 being the most) are below: 

1. Mississippi
2. West Virginia
3. Arkansas
4. Kentucky
5. Louisiana
6. New Mexico
7. Alabama
8. South Carolina
9. Tennessee
10. Oklahoma

On the other hand, New Jersey, Maryland, and Massachusetts are the top three states where shoppers spend the smallest proportion of their income on groceries. The 10 least costly states to buy groceries (with No. 1 being the least) are below:

1. New Jersey
2. Maryland
3. Massachusetts
4. New Hampshire
5. Connecticut
6. Utah
7. Minnesota
8. Virginia
9. Colorado
10. Hawaii

If you’re grocery shopping on a budget, some money-saving habits include using coupons and creating lists to avoid food waste. Here are some more tips to follow.

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