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Grocery bills remain a major strain for many American households, but how hard a trip to the supermarket hits the budget depends heavily on where you live. New data from WalletHub shows some states spend only about 1.5% of typical monthly household income on groceries, while others use more than 2.5% — a gap that has real consequences for family budgets and the cost-of-living debate.
WalletHub’s analysis compared prices for more than two dozen common grocery items — from meat and dairy to produce and cleaning supplies — with each state’s median wage to calculate the share of income spent on food. The result: the largest differences are driven less by sticker shock at the register than by wide variations in local incomes.
Key findings at a glance
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Here are the states that sit at the extremes of grocery burden, measured as the percentage of the median monthly household income spent on groceries.
| Rank | State | Share of median monthly income |
|---|---|---|
| Most — 1 | Mississippi | 2.60% |
| Most — 2 | West Virginia | 2.54% |
| Most — 3 | Arkansas | 2.44% |
| Most — 4 | Louisiana | 2.38% |
| Most — 5 | Kentucky | 2.37% |
| Least — 1 (tie) | New Jersey | 1.51% |
| Least — 1 (tie) | Massachusetts | 1.51% |
| Least — 3 | Maryland | 1.55% |
| Least — 4 | New Hampshire | 1.56% |
| Least — 5 | Utah | 1.58% |
The differences may look small in percentage points, but they translate into meaningful monthly gaps. According to recent Census figures, the typical American household spends roughly $270 per week — about $1,080 per month — on groceries. When groceries take up a larger share of income, families have less room for housing, healthcare, savings or emergencies.
Why some states fare better
WalletHub’s breakdown suggests a crucial distinction: states with the highest grocery prices aren’t always the ones where groceries consume the biggest slice of a paycheck. Instead, lower median incomes in some states push food spending to a higher proportion of monthly earnings.
- Income matters more than prices: Higher incomes in states like New Jersey and Massachusetts can offset relatively high food costs, reducing the share of income spent on groceries.
- Geography and supply chains: Rural and lower-income states often face fewer retail options and weaker competition, which can raise costs or limit discounts.
- Budgetary stress: In states at the top of the list, even small price increases can disproportionately affect household finances.
For policymakers and analysts tracking cost-of-living and inflation, the WalletHub findings highlight that consumer pressure from food costs is not uniform across the country. Addressing grocery affordability therefore requires attention to both market prices and income support measures.
Data note: figures cited here come from WalletHub’s state-by-state grocery cost analysis and Census household expenditure estimates. The WalletHub methodology compared prices for a basket of common items across the 50 states and calculated each state’s grocery spend as a percentage of median monthly household income.
