Here Are the 12 Most Expensive US States To Live In
It used to be that you could buy a home and raise a family on a single income, but nowadays it feels like people are just happy if they can afford to have sleep for dinner. If your rent, groceries, and utility bills have been giving you sticker shock lately, you're not imagining things. And depending on where you live, it might be way worse than the national average.
Twelve states currently have some of the highest cost-of-living indices in the country, concentrated almost entirely on the coasts and in major metro areas. That means if you're in one of them, you're paying a serious premium just to exist.
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The gap between the most and least expensive states is genuinely wild. We did some research on it and here are a few key takeaways:
The national average annual overall expenditure cost for Americans is around $78,535.
You have to make more to afford four states on this list -- Hawaii, Massachusetts, Maryland and New Jersey, which is probably why they all show median household incomes of over $100,000.
Vermont is the only state on this list of a dozen where the average home value for a single-family house drops beneath $400,000.
So what's actually driving costs through the roof in these states? Well, the times they are changin' economically, so it may be good to examine where you currently live, and where you could move to save some money.
Here's a look at the 12 most expensive states to live in right now, and what's making them so costly, ranked from most to least expensive.
1. Hawaii
Median household income: $100,389
Average home value: $976,376
Average annual expenditure cost: $144,426
Expenditure cost difference from the national average: $65,891
2. Massachusetts
Median household income: $103,960
Average home value: $687,105
Average annual expenditure cost: $116,624
Expenditure cost difference from the national average: $38,089
3. California
Median household income: $99,122
Average home value: $801,005
Average annual expenditure cost: $112,384
Expenditure cost difference from the national average: $33,849
4. Alaska
Median household income: $92,788
Average home value: $407,052
Average annual expenditure cost: $99,504
Expenditure cost difference from the national average: $20,969
5. New York
Median household income: $85,974
Average home value: $488,357
Average annual expenditure cost: $98,797
Expenditure cost difference from the national average: $20,262
6. Maryland
Median household income: $103,678
Average home value: $448,250
Average annual expenditure cost: $92,200
Expenditure cost difference from the national average: $13,665
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7. New Jersey
Median household income: $103,556
Average home value: $591,684
Average annual expenditure cost: $90,551
Expenditure cost difference from the national average: $12,016
8. Connecticut
Median household income: $95,781
Average home value: $469,836
Average annual expenditure cost: $89,530
Expenditure cost difference from the national average: $10,995
9. Maine
Median household income: $74,733
Average home value: $408,849
Average annual expenditure cost: $89,530
Expenditure cost difference from the national average: $10,995
10. Vermont
Median household income: $81,203
Average home value: $396,907
Average annual expenditure cost: $89,137
Expenditure cost difference from the national average: $10,602
11. Washington
Median household income: $98,141
Average home value: $619,352
Average annual expenditure cost: $88,666
Expenditure cost difference from the national average: $10,131
12. Oregon
Median household income: $83,011
Average home value: $510,046
Average annual expenditure cost: $88,587
Expenditure cost difference from the national average: $10,052
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Methodology: For this study, we analyzed each U.S. state to find the most expensive states to live in. For each state, the overall cost-of-living index was sourced from the Missouri Economic and Research Information Center. Using the national average annual overall expenditure costs, as sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey, the average overall annual total cost of expenditures was calculated for each state. The single-family home value was sourced from Zillow Home Value Index and included as supplemental information. Using the U.S. Census ACS, the total population, population ages 65 and over, total households, and median household income were sourced for each U.S. state. The states were sorted to show the most expensive states first. All data is up to date as of June 4, 2026.
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
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