Americans have had a rough year, between the coronavirus pandemic and the economic collapse that occurred after businesses across the United States shut down for months on end. As unemployment rates skyrocketed and millions were furloughed or laid off, financial concerns quickly became one of the leading issues (behind personal health, of course). In this current climate, it's even more essential to be frugal and try to save money however possible. For many, that meant moving out of pricey metropolitan areas and relocating to more affordable regions where the cost of living is lower. So, if you're wondering which state is the cheapest, we've got you covered.
We combed through the most recent cost-of-living metrics from the Council for Community & Economic Research, which compares the average cost of groceries, transportation, and utilities in each state to the national average. Then, we compiled the median price for a house in each state, according to Zillow's real estate database. Together, these indicators created our final Cheap Score.
The results point to one extremely wallet-friendly place to live. This state has the lowest median housing price in America and rates the second-lowest on the transportation index. It also lands in the top 10 states with the cheapest utility bills. To find out where your state falls in the budget, read on, and for more areas that are hurting your bank account, This Is the State Where Your Money Is Worth the Least.
50 | Hawaii
iStockMedian housing price: $649,905
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: +69.3 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: +46.6 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: +99.4 percent
Cheap Score: 3.09
49 | California
ShutterstockMedian housing price: $586,659
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: +19.5 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: +33 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: +28 percent
Cheap Score: 23.1
And for more places you probably dislike, This Is the Most Hated State in America.
48 | Alaska
ShutterstockMedian housing price: $285,487
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: +31.8 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: +20 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: +60.1 percent
Cheap Score: 34.24
And for more areas that are struggling, This Is the Least Successful State in the U.S.
47 | Massachusetts
ShutterstockMedian housing price: $457,192
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: +16.1 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: +11.9 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: +7.1 percent
Cheap Score: 35.25
46 | Washington
ShutterstockMedian housing price: $442,339
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: +8 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: +18.6 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: -9.1 percent
Cheap Score: 38.2
45 | Oregon
ShutterstockMedian housing price: $379,503
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: +13.3 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: +33.2 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: -11.4 percent
Cheap Score: 39.14
44 | New York
ShutterstockMedian housing price: $346,328
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: +20.6 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: +10.8 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: -0.2 percent
Cheap Score: 41.28
43 | Rhode Island
ShutterstockMedian housing price: $321,513
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: +9.4 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: +3.7 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: +25.3 percent
Cheap Score: 41.62
42 | Connecticut
ShutterstockMedian housing price: $272,404
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: +8.2 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: +12.5 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: +34.9 percent
Cheap Score: 41.93
41 | New Jersey
ShutterstockMedian housing price: $357,546
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: +9.9 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: +8.7 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: -1.5 percent
Cheap Score: 42.49
40 | Maryland
ShutterstockMedian housing price: $326,553
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: +17 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: +2.1 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: +9.4 percent
Cheap Score: 42.61
39 | Colorado
ShutterstockMedian housing price: $423,364
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: -2.8 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: +5.8 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: -13.9 percent
Cheap Score: 42.69
38 | Vermont
ShutterstockMedian housing price: $262,525
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: +12.4 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: +16.4 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: +18.8 percent
Cheap Score: 43.42
37 | Utah
ShutterstockMedian housing price: $377,443
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: -1.1 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: +5.3 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: -7 percent
Cheap Score: 43.98
36 | Nevada
ShutterstockMedian housing price: $316,102
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: +8 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: +20.4 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: -8.1 percent
Cheap Score: 44.16
35 | Delaware
ShutterstockMedian housing price: $271,530
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: +23 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: +1.1 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: -4 percent
Cheap Score: 46.41
34 | New Hampshire
ShutterstockMedian housing price: $309,709
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: -2.4 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: -4.5 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: +11.1 percent
Cheap Score: 46.49
33 | Arizona
ShutterstockMedian housing price: $291,168
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: -0.9 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: +5.6 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: +4.6 percent
Cheap Score: 46.78
32 | Maine
ShutterstockMedian housing price: $255,736
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: +1.5 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: +0.6 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: +11.9 percent
Cheap Score: 47.96
31 | Minnesota
ShutterstockMedian housing price: $272,175
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: +6.9 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: +0.4 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: -2.7 percent
Cheap Score: 48.32
30 | Pennsylvania
ShutterstockMedian housing price: $208,774
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: +7.8 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: +11.4 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: +9.5 percent
Cheap Score: 48.47
29 | Florida
ShutterstockMedian housing price: $259,642
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: +4.6 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: -1.3 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: +4.5 percent
Cheap Score: 48.54
28 | Virginia
ShutterstockMedian housing price: $296,604
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: -2.3 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: -6.2 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: -1.7 percent
Cheap Score: 48.94
27 | Montana
ShutterstockMedian housing price: $311,024
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: +3.5 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: -9.3 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: -13.7 percent
Cheap Score: 49.39
26 | Idaho
ShutterstockMedian housing price: $315,911
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: -6.7 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: +1.3 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: -16.6 percent
Cheap Score: 49.45
25 | North Dakota
ShutterstockMedian housing price: $237,608
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: +2.4 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: +2.6 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: -9.2 percent
Cheap Score: 51.14
24 | South Carolina
ShutterstockMedian housing price: $203,707
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: +1.9 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: -7.1 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: +5.9 percent
Cheap Score: 52.23
23 | Illinois
ShutterstockMedian housing price: $215,891
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: -5.2 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: +4.8 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: -6.6 percent
Cheap Score: 52.58
22 | North Carolina
ShutterstockMedian housing price: $217,575
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: -1 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: -6.4 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: -1 percent
Cheap Score: 52.67
21 | Wyoming
ShutterstockMedian housing price: $259,371
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: +5.6 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: -18.9 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: -12.1 percent
Cheap Score: 52.71
20 | Georgia
ShutterstockMedian housing price: $213,918
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: -0.3 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: -3.6 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: -6 percent
Cheap Score: 53.04
19 | Texas
ShutterstockMedian housing price: $223,107
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: -10.5 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: -8.9 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: +2.6 percent
Cheap Score: 53.44
18 | South Dakota
ShutterstockMedian housing price: $220,326
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: -0.8 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: -5.6 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: -9.6 percent
Cheap Score: 53.48
17 | Wisconsin
ShutterstockMedian housing price: $200,295
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: -4.1 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: -3.1 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: -2.9 percent
Cheap Score: 53.75
16 | Michigan
ShutterstockMedian housing price: $184,304
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: -11.1 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: +3.1 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: +0.6 percent
Cheap Score: 54.21
15 | New Mexico
ShutterstockMedian housing price: $217,355
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: -1.6 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: -8.3 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: -11.4 percent
Cheap Score: 54.29
14 | Iowa
ShutterstockMedian housing price: $157,584
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: -3.7 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: -2.4 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: 0 percent
Cheap Score: 55.38
13 | Nebraska
ShutterstockMedian housing price: $186,579
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: -1.6 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: -5.6 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: -11 percent
Cheap Score: 55.45
12 | Missouri
Sean Pavone / ShutterstockMedian housing price: $171,811
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: -2.1 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: -9.1 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: -2.6 percent
Cheap Score: 55.51
11 | Ohio
ShutterstockMedian housing price: $161,507
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: -2.7 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: +5.1 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: -11.6 percent
Cheap Score: 55.57
10 | Tennessee
iStockMedian housing price: $200,257
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: -4.9 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: -12.1 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: -7.9 percent
Cheap Score: 55.6
9 | Alabama
ShutterstockMedian housing price: $155,782
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: -6.4 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: -6.8 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: +3.7 percent
Cheap Score: 55.9
8 | Indiana
ShutterstockMedian housing price: $166,556
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: -8.1 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: -1.7 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: -4.2 percent
Cheap Score: 55.92
7 | Louisiana
ShutterstockMedian housing price: $176,987
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: -2 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: -3.4 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: -13.2 percent
Cheap Score: 55.98
6 | Kansas
ShutterstockMedian housing price: $165,364
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: -8.4 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: -5.3 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: -0.4 percent
Cheap Score: 55.99
5 | Kentucky
ShutterstockMedian housing price: $153,649
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: -8.6 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: -5.5 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: -3.4 percent
Cheap Score: 57.01
4 | Oklahoma
ShutterstockMedian housing price: $139,614
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: -7.6 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: -7 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: -6.9 percent
Cheap Score: 58.21
3 | Arkansas
Tammy Chesney / ShutterstockMedian housing price: $150,910
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: -10 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: -10.2 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: -7 percent
Cheap Score: 58.35
2 | Mississippi
ShutterstockMedian housing price: $131,774
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: -7.8 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: -10.5 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: -7.2 percent
Cheap Score: 59.1
1 | West Virginia
ShutterstockMedian housing price: $108,333
Cost of groceries compared to the national average: -3.3 percent
Cost of transportation compared to the national average: -16.6 percent
Cost of utilities compared to the national average: -10.6 percent
Cheap Score: 60.9
