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Richard Rider

A comparison of the relative COL among the 50 states

Below is the best single source I’ve found to compare the relative cost of living (COL) in the 50 states.  It uses “100” as the national average, and then rates each state relative to that average.

It’s provided by the state of Missouri — doubtless to highlight the state’s low COL. It’s updated on a quarterly basis.  The original research is done by The Council for Community and Economic Research out of Virginia, which seems to have no ax to grind.

Missouri IS good, but not the best. It’s rated 7th best among the states.  Texas is #8.

The WORST state?  Surprise!  NOT California.  Years ago some isolated islands in the middle of the Pacific somehow gained statehood, and they lay claim to being easily the most expensive state.  But then, EVERYTHING has to be imported into Hawaii — except lava and great surf.

Which state is #2?  Need you ask??

See the map and chart below.  Note the DEGREE of California’s high cost of living.  For instance, compared to hated Texas, California has a 50.8% higher cost of living.

https://www.missourieconomy.org/indicators/cost_of_living/

Cost of Living Map

First Quarter 2017 Cost of Living
State Rank Index  Grocery Housing Utilities Transportation Heath Misc.
Mississippi 1 85.0 94.9 71.7 85.0 91.0 92.3 89.2
Arkansas 2 87.9 91.3 77.3 95.0 87.6 87.3 93.2
Oklahoma 3 89.1 94.3 74.8 98.5 89.3 92.0 95.3
Michigan 4 89.5 91.7 79.4 91.7 100.8 94.1 92.4
Tennessee 5 89.7 91.9 78.7 96.6 90.4 88.7 95.5
Georgia 6 90.0 97.1 74.7 95.1 98.8 96.7 94.7
Missouri 7 90.1 99.2 73.9 102.1 94.3 97.3 94.0
Texas 8 90.4 89.4 83.0 97.9 93.1 97.1 92.9
Indiana 9 90.6 95.3 77.8 96.0 93.2 92.5 96.2
Alabama 10 90.6 97.1 73.8 109.5 92.4 87.2 95.6
Idaho 11 90.8 85.8 80.1 93.9 104.6 98.2 95.8
Kansas 12 91.1 94.0 78.5 96.6 93.9 96.8 97.0
Iowa 13 92.3 93.4 83.5 94.7 100.3 97.7 95.4
Ohio 14 92.7 98.6 73.6 91.5 100.5 96.5 103.2
Louisiana 15 93.8 98.0 88.0 91.8 96.2 96.9 96.3
Nebraska 16 93.9 95.4 88.5 88.4 103.0 98.3 96.3
Utah 17 94.0 101.6 91.7 81.3 97.7 97.1 95.0
North Carolina 18 94.5 98.5 85.3 96.0 99.4 106.8 96.9
Kentucky 19 94.6 90.6 84.5 94.1 99.2 91.6 103.3
Wyoming 20 94.7 107.4 83.2 107.0 95.0 98.9 94.8
West Virginia 21 95.3 106.1 85.8 87.7 101.3 92.0 99.6
New Mexico 22 96.2 96.9 94.9 84.8 103.5 101.2 97.6
Wisconsin 23 96.4 98.9 87.9 100.6 101.0 111.9 97.9
Arizona 24 96.6 101.3 94.1 93.2 96.5 98.0 97.5
Illinois 25 97.1 97.1 90.0 96.6 106.2 99.9 100.1
Montana 26 98.0 101.6 107.8 79.4 92.9 99.2 95.5
North Dakota 27 99.3 103.2 94.2 88.2 107.0 112.1 101.5
Minnesota 28 99.7 108.9 90.6 89.8 103.0 112.0 103.7
South Dakota 29 100.2 103.2 113.1 96.0 91.4 99.1 92.5
Florida 30 100.4 106.1 97.7 102.4 101.8 98.8 99.6
South Carolina 31 100.5 103.7 87.0 113.0 92.9 101.0 108.2
Nevada 32 101.6 98.5 106.9 85.8 108.0 105.4 101.1
Colorado 33 101.6 99.1 112.8 84.4 98.0 106.1 99.3
Virginia 34 101.7 98.4 110.7 99.1 92.6 98.9 99.6
Pennsylvania 35 102.1 103.4 97.8 110.9 107.5 89.5 102.5
Delaware 36 102.5 106.2 98.4 110.8 92.3 98.2 105.2
Washington 37 106.1 108.2 105.8 92.0 115.0 118.3 105.8
Maine 38 115.0 98.6 128.0 117.3 113.9 107.9 111.5
New Hampshire 39 118.0 121.6 108.0 133.1 109.9 114.6 122.8
Vermont 40 120.7 112.1 144.1 121.2 114.4 104.3 109.0
New Jersey 41 121.2 103.6 151.8 116.1 113.1 105.1 109.4
Rhode Island 42 123.2 112.4 141.3 127.5 102.5 108.9 119.3
Oregon 43 127.3 116.0 175.9 80.1 100.9 109.3 116.2
Maryland 44 129.1 113.7 186.1 103.9 108.0 95.0 107.1
Connecticut 45 129.1 104.1 167.1 108.7 114.8 115.0 120.4
Massachusetts 46 129.4 107.5 160.1 127.7 107.7 118.9 121.5
New York 47 131.1 109.9 187.1 103.8 111.8 100.7 111.8
Alaska 48 131.5 137.0 139.0 143.7 121.2 147.3 121.0
California 49 136.3 114.1 196.5 114.8 122.8 110.1 110.5
District of Columbia 50 153.3 117.3 245.7 115.8 114.8 99.7 122.0
Hawaii 51 187.7 165.7 299.3 193.3 133.3 119.3 129.6
US Average 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0