Cost of living by state (2026): a 50-state comparison
Where you live can swing your take-home pay by 30% or more. This guide compares the cost of living, income tax, sales tax, property tax, home prices, and median income across all 50 US states — updated for 2026 — so you can shortlist tax-friendly destinations before drilling into specific cities.
- Oklahoma86.2
- Mississippi86.3
- Kansas87.5
- West Virginia87.9
- Alabama88.1
- Hawaii186.9
- Massachusetts146.5
- California138.5
- New York125.9
- Alaska125.5
- Alaska
- Florida
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Washington
- Wyoming
All 50 states: cost of living, taxes, and income (2026)
Cost index: US average = 100. Home price is the Zillow ZHVI median. Income tax is the top marginal state rate. Sales tax is the combined state + local average. Property tax is the effective rate on owner-occupied homes.
| State | COL index | Median home | Median income | Income tax | Sales tax | Property tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 88.1 | $224k | $60k | 5.00% | 9.29% | 0.40% |
| Alaska | 125.5 | $366k | $86k | None | 1.82% | 1.19% |
| Arizona | 108.4 | $428k | $75k | 2.50% | 8.38% | 0.63% |
| Arkansas | 89 | $205k | $56k | 4.40% | 9.45% | 0.64% |
| California | 138.5 | $787k | $92k | 13.30% | 8.85% | 0.75% |
| Colorado | 105.5 | $552k | $88k | 4.40% | 7.81% | 0.55% |
| Connecticut | 113.1 | $386k | $90k | 6.99% | 6.35% | 2.15% |
| Delaware | 100.7 | $366k | $79k | 6.60% | 0.00% | 0.61% |
| Florida | 101.9 | $411k | $72k | None | 7.02% | 0.89% |
| Georgia | 91.4 | $322k | $71k | 5.39% | 7.38% | 0.92% |
| Hawaii | 186.9 | $843k | $95k | 11.00% | 4.50% | 0.29% |
| Idaho | 98.9 | $460k | $72k | 5.80% | 6.03% | 0.63% |
| Illinois | 92.1 | $265k | $78k | 4.95% | 8.86% | 2.08% |
| Indiana | 91 | $235k | $67k | 3.00% | 7.00% | 0.83% |
| Iowa | 90.3 | $217k | $71k | 3.80% | 6.94% | 1.52% |
| Kansas | 87.5 | $231k | $70k | 5.58% | 8.75% | 1.34% |
| Kentucky | 92.9 | $214k | $60k | 4.00% | 6.00% | 0.83% |
| Louisiana | 91.3 | $210k | $58k | 3.00% | 9.56% | 0.55% |
| Maine | 111.5 | $388k | $72k | 7.15% | 5.50% | 1.24% |
| Maryland | 116.5 | $425k | $99k | 5.75% | 6.00% | 1.05% |
| Massachusetts | 146.5 | $615k | $100k | 9.00% | 6.25% | 1.14% |
| Michigan | 90.6 | $244k | $69k | 4.25% | 6.00% | 1.38% |
| Minnesota | 94.1 | $335k | $85k | 9.85% | 8.04% | 1.05% |
| Mississippi | 86.3 | $178k | $53k | 4.40% | 7.06% | 0.75% |
| Missouri | 88.5 | $245k | $66k | 4.70% | 8.39% | 0.91% |
| Montana | 103.7 | $460k | $69k | 5.90% | 0.00% | 0.74% |
| Nebraska | 90.9 | $253k | $72k | 5.20% | 6.97% | 1.63% |
| Nevada | 100.6 | $431k | $74k | None | 8.24% | 0.55% |
| New Hampshire | 114.1 | $464k | $91k | None | 0.00% | 1.93% |
| New Jersey | 113.2 | $522k | $97k | 10.75% | 6.60% | 2.23% |
| New Mexico | 94 | $296k | $59k | 5.90% | 7.62% | 0.67% |
| New York | 125.9 | $470k | $82k | 10.90% | 8.53% | 1.40% |
| North Carolina | 95.7 | $331k | $68k | 4.25% | 6.99% | 0.63% |
| North Dakota | 94.6 | $264k | $73k | 2.50% | 7.04% | 0.98% |
| Ohio | 94.7 | $233k | $68k | 3.50% | 7.24% | 1.30% |
| Oklahoma | 86.2 | $205k | $61k | 4.75% | 8.99% | 0.76% |
| Oregon | 113.1 | $490k | $76k | 9.90% | 0.00% | 0.82% |
| Pennsylvania | 94.6 | $265k | $73k | 3.07% | 6.34% | 1.36% |
| Rhode Island | 110.7 | $460k | $81k | 5.99% | 7.00% | 1.30% |
| South Carolina | 95.3 | $300k | $64k | 6.20% | 7.50% | 0.53% |
| South Dakota | 92.4 | $300k | $70k | None | 6.11% | 1.14% |
| Tennessee | 90.3 | $320k | $67k | None | 9.55% | 0.55% |
| Texas | 92.7 | $300k | $76k | None | 8.20% | 1.60% |
| Utah | 103.2 | $519k | $88k | 4.55% | 7.25% | 0.51% |
| Vermont | 115.3 | $380k | $76k | 8.75% | 6.36% | 1.71% |
| Virginia | 100.7 | $393k | $89k | 5.75% | 5.77% | 0.80% |
| Washington | 115.1 | $611k | $92k | None | 9.38% | 0.87% |
| West Virginia | 87.9 | $165k | $55k | 4.82% | 6.57% | 0.55% |
| Wisconsin | 94.9 | $300k | $73k | 7.65% | 5.70% | 1.53% |
| Wyoming | 93.7 | $353k | $73k | None | 5.44% | 0.55% |
States with no income tax — and the trade-off
Nine states charge no state income tax on wages: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. That headline is real, but every one of them makes the money back somewhere else:
- Texas & New Hampshire — property tax rates above 1.6%, among the highest in the country. On a $450k home in Texas, that's about $7,200/year — often enough to erase the income-tax savings for a mid-career household.
- Florida & Nevada — no income tax, but hot housing markets and sales taxes above 8% mean the savings only show up if you're renting modestly or earning a high income.
- Washington — no state income tax on wages, but a 7% capital gains tax over $270k and one of the country's highest sales-tax bases.
- South Dakota, Wyoming, Alaska — the cleanest wins on tax, but small labor markets and (in Alaska) higher grocery and utility costs.
How to use this table
- Shortlist by cost index first. Anything under ~95 is a real-terms raise for a remote worker keeping their current salary.
- Layer in taxes. Add up income tax, sales tax, and property tax as a share of your gross income. A 2% property tax on a $500k home is $10,000/year — bigger than most state income tax bills.
- Drop to the city level. Median income and home prices vary 3× inside a single state. Austin is not Amarillo, and Miami is not Tallahassee.
- Run the simulation. FuturePath projects your take-home pay, savings runway, and net worth for any US city over a full decade.
Go from state shortlist to specific cities
State averages hide the biggest driver of cost — housing. Use the City Intelligence Explorer to compare specific metros head-to-head with live rents, salaries, and tax exposure.
FAQ
Which states have no income tax in 2026?
Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. New Hampshire still taxes interest and dividends through 2026 before phasing that out.
What's the cheapest state to live in?
Mississippi, Oklahoma, Alabama, Kansas, and West Virginia lead MERIC's 2025 cost-of-living index. Housing 20–40% below the national average is the biggest driver.
Do no-income-tax states actually save money?
Only for the right profile. Texas and New Hampshire have among the highest property tax rates in the country; Washington adds a 7% capital gains tax. Renters on high salaries usually win; owners of pricey homes often break even.
How is the cost-of-living index calculated?
A weighted basket of housing (~30%), groceries, utilities, transportation, healthcare, and miscellaneous goods. The US average is 100 — a state at 90 is 10% cheaper than average.