Which state is most unaffordable?

Author: Santiago Kutch  |  Last update: Monday, June 29, 2026

The No. 1 most expensive state is Hawaii, according to Stacker, which analyzed the rankings based on the cost of living by The Council for Community & Economic Research. The Aloha State is pricey for very good reasons, says Hannah Jones, Realtor.com® senior economic research analyst.

What is the most overpriced state?

Hawaii is the most expensive state to live in, according to new cost of living data from doxo, an online bill payment service. Doxo recently released its 2024 Cost of Bills Index, which compares average household costs by state and by major U.S. cities.

Which state is the most unaffordable to live in?

Least Affordable States
  • Hawaii: - House Price-to-Income Ratio: 10.6. - Percentage of Income Required to Cover Avg. ...
  • California: - House Price-to-Income Ratio: 8.9. - Percentage of Income Required to Cover Avg. ...
  • Montana: - House Price-to-Income Ratio: 7.7. ...
  • Washington: - House Price-to-Income Ratio: 6.5. ...
  • Massachusetts.

Which 10 states have the highest cost of living?

The top 10 U.S. states with the highest cost of living
  • Hawaii.
  • California.
  • Washington, D.C.
  • Massachusetts.
  • New York.
  • Alaska.
  • Washington.
  • New Jersey.

What is the #1 best state to live in?

They then scored each state based on their findings and ranked them. Overall, the study ranked Massachusetts as the best place to live in the U.S. thanks in part to the state's education and health, (where it ranked first in the country), and their quality of life, (where it ranked sixth).

10 Most Expensive States and What It Cost to Live Comfortably.

What is the #1 most expensive city in the US?

New York City's Manhattan borough is the most costly place to live, followed by Honolulu, Hawaii, and San Jose, California. Housing and taxes contribute to the high cost of living in major cities.

What is the least desirable state to live in?

Here are WalletHub's 10 worst states to live in for 2024.
  1. Louisiana. A bad economy and poor safety, health, and education statistics have put Louisiana in WalletHub's lowest spot.
  2. New Mexico. WalletHub ranked New Mexico second lowest on its safety rankings. ...
  3. Arkansas. ...
  4. Alaska. ...
  5. Nevada. ...
  6. Mississippi. ...
  7. Oklahoma. ...
  8. South Carolina. ...

Where is the nicest but cheapest place to live?

Most Affordable Places to Live in the U.S. in 2024-2025
  • Fort Wayne, IN.
  • Huntsville, AL.
  • Wichita, KS.
  • Springfield, MO.
  • Davenport, IA.
  • Hickory, NC.
  • Montgomery, AL.

What is the easiest state to live in financially?

Check out our list of the most affordable states to live in 2025!
  • Alabama.
  • Arkansas.
  • Georgia.
  • Indiana.
  • Iowa.
  • Kansas.
  • Mississippi.
  • Missouri.

What state has the most overpriced homes?

Key Takeaways. The most overvalued markets to purchase a home tend to be located in high-priced vacation home markets in Hawaii, in both coastal and inland California markets, Seattle and New York City, as well as still-competitive “Zoomtowns,” including Greeley and Fort Collins in Colorado and Boise, Idaho.

Which US city is not expensive to live?

The Most Affordable Cities To Live In The U.S.: Trends

The Midwest dominates when it comes to affordability, with Cleveland, Dayton and Indianapolis ranking among the least expensive.

What is the most unaffordable city in the United States?

America's Most Expensive Large City: San Jose

America's least affordable large cities are clustered along the coasts. California alone has five of them, led by San Jose, where households spend nearly $3,700 dollars a month.

What state is worth the most?

Here are the leading states by net worth as of September 2024. Connecticut has the highest net worth of nearly $920,000, but also has higher prices than the U.S. average. Meanwhile, California and Washington are the only Western states to make the top ten, and Illinois is the only one from the Midwest.

What state has the highest cost of living in 2024?

The Top 10 Most Expensive States to Live In 2024
  • Hawaii (COLI: 179.2): Aloha! ...
  • Massachusetts (COLI: 148.7): ...
  • New York (COLI: 148.2): ...
  • 4. California (COLI: 142.2): ...
  • Oregon (COLI: 115.1): ...
  • Alaska (COLI: 127.1): ...
  • Washington (COLI: 115.1): ...
  • New Hampshire (COLI: 114.1):

What state has lowest cost of living?

  • Arkansas. #1 in Cost of Living. #47 in Best States Overall. ...
  • Mississippi. #2 in Cost of Living. #48 in Best States Overall. ...
  • Alabama. #3 in Cost of Living. ...
  • South Dakota. #4 in Cost of Living. ...
  • Iowa. #5 in Cost of Living. ...
  • North Dakota. #6 in Cost of Living. ...
  • Oklahoma. #7 in Cost of Living. ...
  • West Virginia. #8 in Cost of Living.

Where is the best place to live with low income?

The 25 Best Affordable Places to Live in the U.S. in 2024-2025
  • Green Bay, Wisconsin.
  • Montgomery, Alabama.
  • Hickory, North Carolina.
  • Davenport, Iowa.
  • Springfield, Missouri.
  • Wichita, Kansas.
  • Huntsville, Alabama.
  • Fort Wayne, Indiana.

What state is like California but cheaper?

Q: What state is like California but cheaper? A: The Golden State's eastern neighbor, Nevada, is as similar to California as any state could be in terms of lifestyle and climate — but less expensive. In fact, the cost of living in Las Vegas is almost 59 percent less than in Los Angeles.

What is the happiest state to live in?

Ranking Happiness Levels Across U.S. States

As the table below shows, Hawaii stands as the happiest state, with a score of 68.71 out of 100. The Aloha State ranks first overall across several key metrics including life expectancy rates and life satisfaction.

What state has the worst cost of living?

The No. 1 most expensive state is Hawaii, according to Stacker, which analyzed the rankings based on the cost of living by The Council for Community & Economic Research. The Aloha State is pricey for very good reasons, says Hannah Jones, Realtor.com® senior economic research analyst. Hawaii and Alaska (No.

Which state has the best quality of life?

WalletHub released its 2024 ranking of the best US states to live in. The study considered metrics like affordability, economy, and safety. Massachusetts was ranked the No. 1 state to live in.

Where is the most expensive place to retire in the US?

In fact, Hawaii is the most expensive state to retire in. The cost of essentials — housing, groceries, transportation, utilities and health care — for 25 years adds up to about $2.21 million. That's significantly more than Massachusetts and California, where retirees need around $1.6 million each to get by.

What city has the most expensive rent?

New York, not surprisingly, is home to the most expensive place to live in the U.S. — the one and only New York City (https://www.apartmentguide.com/apartments/New-York/New-York/). The average rent there as of July 2022 is a migraine-inducing $5,812, a 41.02 percent increase from the year before.

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