The cheapest states to live in
All 50 states and DC ranked three ways: for renters and homeowners by what a $75,000 salary leaves after 2026 taxes and housing, adjusted for local prices, and for retirees by typical monthly costs plus state income tax.
Cheapest for renters: North Dakota, South Dakota and Iowa.
For homeowners: West Virginia, Mississippi and Arkansas.
For retirees: Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee.
Renters and homeowners: a single filer earning $75,000. Retirees: a single retiree aged 67 with $30,000 Social Security, $20,000 pension, $20,000 401(k)/IRA, who owns a paid-off home. How we ranked them.
The 10 cheapest states for renters
Ranked by what is left from $75,000 after 2026 federal and state taxes and a year of the state's median rent, measured in U.S.-average dollars. Low rent does most of the work: every state in the top 10 has a median rent at least $385 a month below the U.S. median of $1,487.
North Dakota
$53,108 left
Median rent is $980 a month, $507 below the U.S. median, and everyday prices run 7% below the U.S. average. State income tax on $75,000 is about $203 ($2,592 in the median state).
South Dakota
$52,940 left
Median rent is $999 a month, $488 below the U.S. median, and everyday prices run 6% below the U.S. average. There is no state income tax on wages.
Iowa
$51,042 left
Median rent is $981 a month, $506 below the U.S. median, and everyday prices run 7% below the U.S. average. State income tax on $75,000 is about $2,198 ($2,592 in the median state).
Wyoming
$50,681 left
Median rent is $998 a month, $489 below the U.S. median, and there is no state income tax on wages.
Arkansas
$50,205 left
Median rent is $982 a month, $505 below the U.S. median, and everyday prices run 6% below the U.S. average. State income tax on $75,000 is about $2,390 ($2,592 in the median state).
Louisiana
$49,589 left
Median rent is $1,064 a month, $423 below the U.S. median, and everyday prices run 5% below the U.S. average. State income tax on $75,000 is about $1,864 ($2,592 in the median state).
Mississippi
$49,344 left
Median rent is $990 a month, $497 below the U.S. median, and everyday prices run 4% below the U.S. average. State income tax on $75,000 is about $2,268 ($2,592 in the median state).
West Virginia
$49,339 left
Median rent is $883 a month, $604 below the U.S. median, and everyday prices run 2% below the U.S. average. State income tax on $75,000 is about $2,546 ($2,592 in the median state).
Ohio
$49,040 left
Median rent is $1,090 a month, $397 below the U.S. median, and everyday prices run 4% below the U.S. average. State income tax on $75,000 is about $1,287 ($2,592 in the median state).
Nebraska
$48,996 left
Median rent is $1,102 a month, $385 below the U.S. median, and everyday prices run 6% below the U.S. average. State income tax on $75,000 is about $2,533 ($2,592 in the median state).
Every state, for renters, homeowners and retirees
The same state can be cheap to rent in and expensive to buy in, so each group gets its own ranking, from cheapest to most expensive.
Cheapest states for renters
| State | Left after rent | Take-home on $75,000 | Median rent | Everyday prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 North Dakota | $53,108 | $61,389 | $980/mo | 93.5 |
| 2 South Dakota | $52,940 | $61,593 | $999/mo | 93.7 |
| 3 Iowa | $51,042 | $59,394 | $981/mo | 93.3 |
| 4 Wyoming | $50,681 | $61,593 | $998/mo | 97.9 |
| 5 Arkansas | $50,205 | $59,203 | $982/mo | 94.4 |
| 6 Louisiana | $49,589 | $59,729 | $1,064/mo | 94.7 |
| 7 Mississippi | $49,344 | $59,325 | $990/mo | 96.2 |
| 8 West Virginia | $49,339 | $59,047 | $883/mo | 98.2 |
| 9 Ohio | $49,040 | $60,306 | $1,090/mo | 96.3 |
| 10 Nebraska | $48,996 | $59,060 | $1,102/mo | 93.5 |
| 11 Oklahoma | $48,848 | $58,763 | $1,044/mo | 94.7 |
| 12 Kentucky | $48,767 | $59,085 | $998/mo | 96.6 |
| 13 Missouri | $48,308 | $59,059 | $1,067/mo | 95.8 |
| 14 Tennessee | $48,285 | $61,593 | $1,284/mo | 95.7 |
| 15 Kansas | $48,199 | $58,207 | $1,079/mo | 93.9 |
| 16 Alabama | $47,169 | $58,466 | $1,077/mo | 96.6 |
| 17 New Mexico | $47,101 | $59,233 | $1,117/mo | 97.3 |
| 18 Wisconsin | $46,383 | $58,649 | $1,142/mo | 96.9 |
| 19 Indiana | $46,188 | $58,189 | $1,104/mo | 97.3 |
| 20 Montana | $45,806 | $58,716 | $1,177/mo | 97.3 |
| 21 Michigan | $45,343 | $58,656 | $1,168/mo | 98.5 |
| 22 Texas | $44,972 | $61,593 | $1,475/mo | 97.6 |
| 23 South Carolina | $44,883 | $58,935 | $1,272/mo | 97.3 |
| 24 Pennsylvania | $44,391 | $59,238 | $1,252/mo | 99.6 |
| 25 North Carolina | $44,202 | $59,109 | $1,338/mo | 97.4 |
| 26 Vermont | $43,514 | $59,103 | $1,319/mo | 99.4 |
| 27 Maine | $43,226 | $57,833 | $1,210/mo | 100.2 |
| 28 Idaho | $43,131 | $58,726 | $1,384/mo | 97.7 |
| 29 New Hampshire | $42,367 | $61,593 | $1,558/mo | 101.3 |
| 30 Alaska | $42,200 | $61,322 | $1,444/mo | 104.3 |
| 31 Nevada | $42,138 | $61,593 | $1,709/mo | 97.5 |
| 32 Minnesota | $42,047 | $57,686 | $1,291/mo | 100.3 |
| 33 Rhode Island | $41,556 | $58,572 | $1,418/mo | 100.0 |
| 34 Illinois | $41,334 | $58,025 | $1,322/mo | 102.0 |
| 35 Georgia | $41,311 | $58,599 | $1,506/mo | 98.1 |
| 36 Arizona | $40,420 | $60,120 | $1,672/mo | 99.1 |
| 37 Utah | $40,294 | $58,483 | $1,593/mo | 97.7 |
| 38 Florida | $39,968 | $61,593 | $1,812/mo | 99.7 |
| 39 Delaware | $39,841 | $57,684 | $1,530/mo | 98.7 |
| 40 Connecticut | $39,143 | $57,743 | $1,550/mo | 100.0 |
| 41 Virginia | $38,227 | $58,094 | $1,646/mo | 100.3 |
| 42 Washington | $37,124 | $60,552 | $1,824/mo | 104.2 |
| 43 Colorado | $37,122 | $58,671 | $1,822/mo | 99.2 |
| 44 New York | $36,147 | $57,816 | $1,634/mo | 105.7 |
| 45 Oregon | $35,845 | $56,013 | $1,597/mo | 102.8 |
| 46 Massachusetts | $35,242 | $57,718 | $1,848/mo | 100.8 |
| 47 New Jersey | $35,034 | $58,491 | $1,800/mo | 105.3 |
| 48 Maryland | $34,904 | $56,272 | $1,721/mo | 102.0 |
| 49 Washington, DC | $33,405 | $58,164 | $1,931/mo | 104.8 |
| 50 Hawaii | $31,718 | $57,321 | $1,942/mo | 107.3 |
| 51 California | $31,236 | $57,843 | $2,104/mo | 104.3 |
Cheapest states for homeowners
| State | Left after owning | Cost to own | Median home value | Median property tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 West Virginia | $45,252 | $1,063/mo | $170,800 | $881/yr |
| 2 Mississippi | $44,336 | $1,236/mo | $186,500 | $1,221/yr |
| 3 Arkansas | $43,697 | $1,365/mo | $215,600 | $1,113/yr |
| 4 Louisiana | $42,613 | $1,474/mo | $223,200 | $1,187/yr |
| 5 Iowa | $42,072 | $1,567/mo | $227,300 | $2,937/yr |
| 6 North Dakota | $41,700 | $1,750/mo | $266,100 | $2,550/yr |
| 7 Kentucky | $41,517 | $1,448/mo | $226,000 | $1,611/yr |
| 8 Oklahoma | $41,382 | $1,501/mo | $222,100 | $1,672/yr |
| 9 Ohio | $40,820 | $1,614/mo | $239,800 | $2,937/yr |
| 10 Alabama | $40,472 | $1,442/mo | $233,300 | $890/yr |
| 11 South Dakota | $39,451 | $1,924/mo | $289,600 | $2,940/yr |
| 12 Missouri | $39,316 | $1,655/mo | $254,400 | $2,021/yr |
| 13 Indiana | $39,071 | $1,548/mo | $243,500 | $1,798/yr |
| 14 Kansas | $38,936 | $1,680/mo | $238,700 | $2,983/yr |
| 15 New Mexico | $38,331 | $1,735/mo | $279,900 | $1,776/yr |
| 16 Nebraska | $37,556 | $1,884/mo | $263,100 | $3,739/yr |
| 17 Michigan | $37,500 | $1,692/mo | $254,200 | $2,988/yr |
| 18 Tennessee | $37,477 | $2,002/mo | $332,600 | $1,488/yr |
| 19 South Carolina | $36,359 | $1,814/mo | $299,500 | $1,337/yr |
| 20 Wyoming | $35,861 | $2,099/mo | $339,500 | $1,947/yr |
| 21 Pennsylvania | $35,655 | $1,832/mo | $277,600 | $3,214/yr |
| 22 Wisconsin | $34,864 | $1,961/mo | $294,700 | $3,680/yr |
| 23 Texas | $34,186 | $2,188/mo | $313,200 | $4,108/yr |
| 24 North Carolina | $33,705 | $2,047/mo | $333,000 | $2,044/yr |
| 25 Illinois | $31,452 | $2,052/mo | $280,700 | $5,399/yr |
| 26 Georgia | $31,402 | $2,165/mo | $343,300 | $2,554/yr |
| 27 Maine | $30,258 | $2,159/mo | $341,900 | $3,103/yr |
| 28 Delaware | $29,867 | $2,200/mo | $371,600 | $1,750/yr |
| 29 Vermont | $29,219 | $2,378/mo | $352,800 | $5,026/yr |
| 30 Alaska | $29,145 | $2,435/mo | $376,500 | $3,976/yr |
| 31 Florida | $29,100 | $2,559/mo | $396,900 | $2,993/yr |
| 32 Minnesota | $29,027 | $2,270/mo | $344,600 | $3,501/yr |
| 33 Nevada | $28,523 | $2,676/mo | $455,500 | $2,143/yr |
| 34 Arizona | $28,364 | $2,507/mo | $426,000 | $1,828/yr |
| 35 Idaho | $26,616 | $2,619/mo | $446,400 | $1,912/yr |
| 36 Montana | $26,535 | $2,632/mo | $425,400 | $2,939/yr |
| 37 Virginia | $26,426 | $2,484/mo | $403,500 | $2,872/yr |
| 38 New Hampshire | $22,513 | $3,088/mo | $458,800 | $6,707/yr |
| 39 Connecticut | $21,881 | $2,789/mo | $396,900 | $6,573/yr |
| 40 Rhode Island | $21,001 | $2,969/mo | $455,700 | $4,886/yr |
| 41 Maryland | $20,618 | $2,770/mo | $436,300 | $4,144/yr |
| 42 Utah | $19,381 | $3,201/mo | $545,200 | $2,648/yr |
| 43 New York | $18,632 | $3,037/mo | $449,800 | $6,542/yr |
| 44 Oregon | $17,336 | $3,053/mo | $497,500 | $3,895/yr |
| 45 Colorado | $16,005 | $3,466/mo | $574,600 | $2,828/yr |
| 46 Washington | $14,297 | $3,692/mo | $602,200 | $4,729/yr |
| 47 New Jersey | $13,968 | $3,520/mo | $496,000 | $9,358/yr |
| 48 Massachusetts | $9,299 | $3,861/mo | $607,400 | $6,080/yr |
| 49 Washington, DC | $4,237 | $4,364/mo | $733,400 | $4,594/yr |
| 50 California | $773 | $4,592/mo | $759,500 | $5,369/yr |
| 51 Hawaii | -$4,442 | $4,962/mo | $875,900 | $2,385/yr |
Cheapest states for retirees
| State | Monthly cost | Typical spending | State income tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Arkansas | $2,837/mo | $2,771/mo | $791/yr |
| 2 Mississippi | $2,848/mo | $2,848/mo | $0/yr |
| 3 Tennessee | $2,872/mo | $2,872/mo | $0/yr |
| 4 Alabama | $2,877/mo | $2,859/mo | $218/yr |
| 5 Kentucky | $2,885/mo | $2,872/mo | $154/yr |
| 6 Louisiana | $2,885/mo | $2,847/mo | $454/yr |
| 7 North Dakota | $2,887/mo | $2,887/mo | $0/yr |
| 8 Oklahoma | $2,898/mo | $2,831/mo | $805/yr |
| 9 Wyoming | $2,905/mo | $2,905/mo | $0/yr |
| 10 Iowa | $2,914/mo | $2,914/mo | $0/yr |
| 11 New Mexico | $2,935/mo | $2,879/mo | $665/yr |
| 12 West Virginia | $2,941/mo | $2,875/mo | $791/yr |
| 13 South Dakota | $2,948/mo | $2,948/mo | $0/yr |
| 14 South Carolina | $2,957/mo | $2,940/mo | $199/yr |
| 15 Idaho | $2,967/mo | $2,918/mo | $585/yr |
| 16 Missouri | $2,984/mo | $2,918/mo | $795/yr |
| 17 Ohio | $3,046/mo | $3,023/mo | $268/yr |
| 18 North Carolina | $3,060/mo | $2,969/mo | $1,087/yr |
| 19 Indiana | $3,061/mo | $2,915/mo | $1,748/yr |
| 20 Nebraska | $3,067/mo | $2,996/mo | $847/yr |
| 21 Wisconsin | $3,067/mo | $3,064/mo | $38/yr |
| 22 Kansas | $3,080/mo | $2,965/mo | $1,385/yr |
| 23 Nevada | $3,090/mo | $3,090/mo | $0/yr |
| 24 Arizona | $3,106/mo | $3,073/mo | $395/yr |
| 25 Georgia | $3,106/mo | $3,106/mo | $0/yr |
| 26 Michigan | $3,118/mo | $3,118/mo | $0/yr |
| 27 Montana | $3,122/mo | $2,995/mo | $1,529/yr |
| 28 Delaware | $3,122/mo | $3,071/mo | $612/yr |
| 29 Utah | $3,151/mo | $3,028/mo | $1,474/yr |
| 30 Maine | $3,171/mo | $3,171/mo | $0/yr |
| 31 Colorado | $3,171/mo | $3,119/mo | $625/yr |
| 32 Pennsylvania | $3,186/mo | $3,186/mo | $0/yr |
| 33 Virginia | $3,219/mo | $3,157/mo | $750/yr |
| 34 Texas | $3,224/mo | $3,224/mo | $0/yr |
| 35 Florida | $3,229/mo | $3,229/mo | $0/yr |
| 36 Minnesota | $3,254/mo | $3,153/mo | $1,214/yr |
| 37 Illinois | $3,357/mo | $3,357/mo | $0/yr |
| 38 Alaska | $3,378/mo | $3,378/mo | $0/yr |
| 39 Washington | $3,404/mo | $3,404/mo | $0/yr |
| 40 Vermont | $3,432/mo | $3,314/mo | $1,415/yr |
| 41 Maryland | $3,448/mo | $3,392/mo | $677/yr |
| 42 Rhode Island | $3,468/mo | $3,457/mo | $133/yr |
| 43 Oregon | $3,517/mo | $3,335/mo | $2,179/yr |
| 44 Hawaii | $3,549/mo | $3,538/mo | $138/yr |
| 45 New Hampshire | $3,557/mo | $3,557/mo | $0/yr |
| 46 Washington, DC | $3,568/mo | $3,475/mo | $1,111/yr |
| 47 Connecticut | $3,637/mo | $3,637/mo | $0/yr |
| 48 California | $3,715/mo | $3,679/mo | $430/yr |
| 49 Massachusetts | $3,741/mo | $3,595/mo | $1,745/yr |
| 50 New York | $3,745/mo | $3,704/mo | $488/yr |
| 51 New Jersey | $3,880/mo | $3,880/mo | $0/yr |
How we ranked the states
- Renters: a $75,000 salary minus 2026 federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare, state income tax (plus the average county income tax in Indiana and Maryland) and any required state payroll premiums, for a single filer taking the standard deduction. From that we take a year of the state's median gross rent, which includes utilities (Census ACS 2024).
- Homeowners: the same take-home pay minus a year of owning the state's median home with 20% down: principal and interest at the Freddie Mac 30-year rate (6.95%, week of September 17, 2026), the median property tax (Census ACS 2024) and the median homeowners insurance for homes with a mortgage (Census ACS). We also take off a year of the average home electric bill (EIA). A negative figure means owning the median home costs more than the take-home pay.
- At U.S. prices: what is left after housing goes on everything else, so we divide it by BEA's 2024 price level for goods and for services other than housing and utilities (the average of the two Regional Price Parities, U.S. = 100). A dollar left over in a state where prices run 5% below average counts as about $1.05.
- Retirees: typical monthly spending for a single retiree who owns a paid-off home: what households headed by someone 65 or older spend (BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024), adjusted for the state's property tax, prices, electricity, gas and car insurance, as in our retire-on-a-budget tool. We add the state income tax on $30,000 Social Security, $20,000 pension, $20,000 401(k)/IRA at age 67, under the state rules we reviewed on September 24, 2026 (see retirement taxes by state).
These are statewide medians and averages. Costs in a state's big cities can differ a lot from its rural areas, so check the metro areas we cover too. We don't subtract car costs, child care or health insurance from the renter and homeowner figures; the Where should I move? quiz weighs those. Your own result depends on your income and household, so compare two states with your salary. More detail is in our methodology.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest state to live in for 2026?
For a renter earning $75,000, North Dakota: after 2026 taxes and a year of median rent, about $53,108 is left, measured at U.S.-average prices. For a buyer of the median home it is West Virginia, and for a retiree Arkansas.
What is the most expensive state to live in?
California for renters ($31,236 left from $75,000 after taxes and rent, at U.S. prices), Hawaii for homeowners and New Jersey for retirees.
Which cheap states have no income tax?
Of the 9 states that don't tax wages, South Dakota (#2), Wyoming (#4) and Tennessee (#14) rank highest for renters. No income tax isn't enough on its own: rent and everyday prices move the ranking more.
Which state has the lowest prices?
Arkansas, where BEA's price level for all goods and services is 86.9 (U.S. = 100) in 2024. Our renter ranking also counts state taxes on a $75,000 salary and each state's median rent, and puts it #5.