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Ranked: 10 Most Affordable US States and 10 Least Affordable

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2025-09-15T17:24:17Z

Prices of groceries and housing are going up across the US.
US News & World Report ranked all US states based on their affordability.
It ranked Arkansas as the most affordable state in the US, and California as the least affordable.

From groceries to housing, living is getting more expensive, but some states are feeling the effects of rising prices more than others.

While states like Hawaii and California are seeing increases in housing costs, others like Florida are experiencing falling real-estate prices thanks to rising inventory and insurance costs.

US News & World Report recently ranked all 50 US states by affordability, using US Bureau of Economic Analysis data to determine each state’s housing affordability and cost of living.

The list is just one part of US News & World Report’s comparison of US states, which it ranks by categories including opportunity, education, healthcare, and fiscal stability, among others. These categories ultimately contribute to its best states overall ranking. For the full report and rankings, see here.

Here are the 10 most affordable states in the US, followed by the 10 least affordable, per US News & World Report.

The below list also indicates where each state landed on the report’s best states overall ranking, and includes the median income in each state, using the most recent data from the US Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, which estimated median incomes in 2024.

1. Arkansas

Little Rock, Arkansas, skyline on the river at twilight.

Arkansas was ranked the most affordable US state.


Sean Pavone/Shutterstock

Cost of living ranking: 1

Housing affordability ranking: 3

Median household income: $62,106

In US News & World Report’s ranking of best states overall — of which affordability is one consideration — Arkansas comes 44th.

2. Mississippi

Jackson, Mississippi, skyline over the Capitol Building.

Mississippi was ranked as the second-most affordable state in the US.


Sean Pavone/Shutterstock

Cost of living ranking: 2

Housing affordability ranking: 1

Median household income: $59,127

In the best states overall ranking, Mississippi fares less well, ranking 48th.

3. West Virginia

charleston, west virginia

West Virginia was ranked as the third-most affordable US state.


Mihai_Andritoiu/Shutterstock

Cost of living ranking: 8

Housing affordability ranking: 2

Median household income: $60,798

West Virginia was ranked 46th in the best states overall ranking.

4. South Dakota

Aerial View of Sioux Falls, South Dakota at Sunset

South Dakota took fourth place for the most affordable US states.


Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock

Cost of living ranking: 3

Housing affordability ranking: 6

Median household income: $76,881

South Dakota came 8th in the overall best states ranking.

5. Oklahoma

Oklahoma City skyline

Oklahoma was ranked fifth on the most affordable states list.


Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Cost of living ranking: 4

Housing affordability ranking: 7

Median household income: $66,148

The report ranked Oklahoma the 42nd best state overall.

6. Louisiana

An aerial view of Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Louisiana took the sixth spot for the most affordable state.


Jacob Boomsma/Getty Images

Cost of living ranking: 5

Housing affordability ranking: 8

Median household income: $60,986

The state was ranked last on the best states overall list.

7. Iowa

Aerial View of the Des Moines, Iowa, Skyline at Sunset

Iowa was ranked as the seventh-most affordable state.


Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock

Cost of living ranking: 7

Housing affordability ranking: 9

Median household income: $75,501

Iowa is the 14th best state overall, per US News & World Report.

8. Alabama

Birmingham, Alabama, downtown city skyline.

Alabama was the eighth-most affordable state in the ranking.


Sean Pavone/Shutterstock

Cost of living ranking: 10

Housing affordability ranking: 4

Median household income: $66,659

However, Alabama comes 45th in the best states overall ranking.

9. North Dakota

Fargo, North Dakota

North Dakota took ninth place for the most affordable state ranking.


Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock

Cost of living ranking: 6

Housing affordability ranking: 11

Median household income: $77,871

Oregon is the 12th best state overall, when considering all metrics, per the report.

10. Kentucky

Colorful bridges lead into the buildings and streets of the downtown city center of Louisville, Kentucky.

Kentucky was ranked as the 10th-most affordable US state.


ChrisBoswell/Getty Images

Cost of living ranking: 14

Housing affordability ranking: 5

Median household income: $64,526

Kentucky is the 39th best state overall.

41. Maryland

baltimore skyline

Maryland was ranked as the 10th-least affordable US state.


Dee Liu/Getty Images

Cost of living ranking: 42

Housing affordability ranking: 42

Median household income: $102,905

Maryland was named the 20th best state in the report’s overall rankings.

42. New Hampshire

manchester new hampshire

New Hampshire is the ninth-least affordable state in the US.


NayaDadara/Shutterstock

Cost of living ranking: 44

Housing affordability ranking: 40

Median household income: $99,782

The state was also ranked as the second-best state overall by US News & World Report.

43. Colorado

Denver downtown

Colorado was ranked as the eighth least affordable state in the US.


Aerial_Views/Getty Images

Cost of living ranking: 37

Housing affordability ranking: 48

Median household income: $97,113

Colorado was named the 11th best state overall by the report.

44. Florida

Miami Beach, Florida, aerial view, Indian Creek Biscayne Bay Allison Island La Gorce Island city skyline.

Florida was ranked the seventh-least affordable US state.


Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Cost of living ranking: 40

Housing affordability ranking: 44

Median household income: $77,735

Florida ranked 6th best state overall when considering affordability and other factors.

45. New York

A view of the New York City skyline with the Brooklyn Bridge in the middle ground.

New York was ranked as the sixth-least affordable state in the US.


Evgeny Karandaev/Shutterstock

Cost of living ranking: 45

Housing affordability ranking: 43

Median household income: $85,820

New York was named the 22nd best state overall.

46. Washington

Seattle, Washington downtown skyline.

Washington is the fifth-least affordable state in the US.


Sean Pavone/Shutterstock

Cost of living ranking: 47

Housing affordability ranking: 45

Median household income: $99,389

Washington came 10th in the best states overall ranking.

47. Massachusetts

An aerial view of the Charles River in Boston.

Massachusetts fell in fourth place for the least affordable US states.


Cavan Images/Getty Images/Cavan Images RF

Cost of living ranking: 46

Housing affordability ranking: 47

Median household income: $104,828

US News & World Report named Massachusetts the 9th best state in its overall ranking.

48. Hawaii

An aerial view of Waikiki Beach in Hawaii with Diamond Head in the background.

Hawaii is the third-least affordable US state.


James Kirkikis/Shutterstock

Cost of living ranking: 48

Housing affordability ranking: 46

Median household income: $100,745

The state ranked 28th in the overall ranking.

49. New Jersey

Aerial view of Hoboken, New Jersey, with the New York City skyline in the background.

New Jersey was ranked the second-least affordable state in the US.


FotosForTheFuture/Shutterstock

Cost of living ranking: 49

Housing affordability ranking: 49

Median household income: $104,294

New Jersey came 19th in US News & World Report’s best states overall ranking.

50. California

An overview of downtown Los Angeles.

California was ranked as the least affordable out of all US states.


Michael Lee/Getty Images

Cost of living ranking: 50

Housing affordability ranking: 50

Median household income: $100,149

In the best states overall ranking, California is ranked No. 37.

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