Groceries Are Eating Up Your Paycheck — But How Much Depends on Where You Live

24/7 Wall St. Insights

• Americans spent $4,312 on groceries per capita in 2023.
• Grocery costs vary from state to state, ranging from $3,274 to $5,507.
• While grocery expenses track with cost of living, many of the highest-spending states are in rural, otherwise inexpensive regions.
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A gallon of milk shouldn’t feel like a luxury — but in some states, it practically is. The New York Times reported on Americans dyeing potatoes instead of eggs this past Easter, as egg prices soared to historic highs. Grocery costs are rising faster than inflation, and Americans are spending more than ever just to keep the fridge full. 

Annual grocery expenditures were $4,312 per capita in 2023, up 33.6% from 2018. In some states, grocery expenditures were higher than $5,000 per capita in 2023. And while grocery prices track with cost of living, many of the states where Americans are spending the most on groceries are otherwise inexpensive areas. Many of the states with the highest grocery expenditures are in rural, sparsely populated regions. A closer look at the data reveals the states spending the most on groceries.

To determine the states spending the most on groceries, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data on personal consumption expenditures from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. States were ranked based on annual personal expenditure on food and beverages purchased for off-premises consumption per capita in 2023. Expenditure totals were adjusted for population using data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

50. Oklahoma

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $3,274 per capita
• Cost of living: -11.7% less than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $13.3 billion
• Total population: 4.1 million
• Other major spending categories: Motor vehicles and parts, gasoline and other energy goods, clothing and footwear, food services and accommodations, health care, recreational goods and vehicles

49. Tennessee

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $3,576 per capita
• Cost of living: -7.5% less than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $25.5 billion
• Total population: 7.1 million
• Other major spending categories: Clothing and footwear, food services and accommodations, financial services and insurance, gasoline and other energy goods, motor vehicles and parts, furnishings and durable household equipment

48. Arkansas

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $3,590 per capita
• Cost of living: -13.5% less than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $11.0 billion
• Total population: 3.1 million
• Other major spending categories: Gasoline and other energy goods, financial services and insurance, clothing and footwear, furnishings and durable household equipment, recreational goods and vehicles, health care

47. South Dakota

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $3,620 per capita
• Cost of living: -11.9% less than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $3.3 billion
• Total population: 919,318
• Other major spending categories: Health care, furnishings and durable household equipment, recreation services, transportation services, clothing and footwear, food services and accommodations

46. Minnesota

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $3,721 per capita
• Cost of living: -1.6% less than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $21.4 billion
• Total population: 5.7 million
• Other major spending categories: Recreational goods and vehicles, motor vehicles and parts, financial services and insurance, health care, gasoline and other energy goods, clothing and footwear

45. North Dakota

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $3,794 per capita
• Cost of living: -11.4% less than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $3.0 billion
• Total population: 783,926
• Other major spending categories: Recreational goods and vehicles, health care, financial services and insurance, motor vehicles and parts, clothing and footwear, furnishings and durable household equipment

44. Idaho

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $3,813 per capita
• Cost of living: -8.6% less than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $7.5 billion
• Total population: 2.0 million
• Other major spending categories: Recreational goods and vehicles, gasoline and other energy goods, motor vehicles and parts, housing and utilities, furnishings and durable household equipment, transportation services

43. Maryland

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $3,832 per capita
• Cost of living: +4.0% more than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $23.7 billion
• Total population: 6.2 million
• Other major spending categories: Clothing and footwear, housing and utilities, recreation services, recreational goods and vehicles, transportation services, food services and accommodations

42. Alabama

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $3,833 per capita
• Cost of living: -10.0% less than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $19.6 billion
• Total population: 5.1 million
• Other major spending categories: Motor vehicles and parts, gasoline and other energy goods, clothing and footwear, recreational goods and vehicles, furnishings and durable household equipment

41. Utah

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $3,878 per capita
• Cost of living: -5.0% less than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $13.3 billion
• Total population: 3.4 million
• Other major spending categories: Recreational goods and vehicles, furnishings and durable household equipment, motor vehicles and parts, transportation services, gasoline and other energy goods, housing and utilities

40. Nebraska

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $3,904 per capita
• Cost of living: -9.6% less than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $7.7 billion
• Total population: 2.0 million
• Other major spending categories: Motor vehicles and parts, gasoline and other energy goods, financial services and insurance, health care, transportation services, recreational goods and vehicles

39. Arizona

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $3,923 per capita
• Cost of living: +1.1% more than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $29.2 billion
• Total population: 7.4 million
• Other major spending categories: Housing and utilities, transportation services, food services and accommodations, furnishings and durable household equipment, motor vehicles and parts, recreation services

38. Missouri

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $3,975 per capita
• Cost of living: -8.2% less than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $24.6 billion
• Total population: 6.2 million
• Other major spending categories: Gasoline and other energy goods, motor vehicles and parts, financial services and insurance, health care, recreation services, transportation services

37. Wisconsin

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $4,022 per capita
• Cost of living: -6.9% less than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $23.8 billion
• Total population: 5.9 million
• Other major spending categories: Gasoline and other energy goods, motor vehicles and parts, recreational goods and vehicles, financial services and insurance, health care, furnishings and durable household equipment

36. Mississippi

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $4,022 per capita
• Cost of living: -12.7% less than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $11.8 billion
• Total population: 2.9 million
• Other major spending categories: Gasoline and other energy goods, clothing and footwear, motor vehicles and parts, health care, food services and accommodations

35. New Mexico

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $4,031 per capita
• Cost of living: -9.6% less than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $8.5 billion
• Total population: 2.1 million
• Other major spending categories: Gasoline and other energy goods, food services and accommodations, motor vehicles and parts, housing and utilities, health care

34. Indiana

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $4,033 per capita
• Cost of living: -7.8% less than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $27.7 billion
• Total population: 6.9 million
• Other major spending categories: Health care, gasoline and other energy goods, motor vehicles and parts, recreational goods and vehicles, furnishings and durable household equipment

33. Louisiana

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $4,034 per capita
• Cost of living: -11.7% less than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $18.4 billion
• Total population: 4.6 million
• Other major spending categories: Motor vehicles and parts, health care, gasoline and other energy goods, clothing and footwear, food services and accommodations, financial services and insurance

32. Iowa

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $4,067 per capita
• Cost of living: -11.2% less than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $13.0 billion
• Total population: 3.2 million
• Other major spending categories: Gasoline and other energy goods, motor vehicles and parts, recreational goods and vehicles, transportation services, health care

31. Illinois

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $4,119 per capita
• Cost of living: -1.1% less than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $51.7 billion
• Total population: 12.5 million
• Other major spending categories: Clothing and footwear, transportation services, recreational goods and vehicles, financial services and insurance, food services and accommodations, furnishings and durable household equipment

30. Texas

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $4,123 per capita
• Cost of living: -2.8% less than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $125.8 billion
• Total population: 30.5 million
• Other major spending categories: Motor vehicles and parts, clothing and footwear, recreation services, financial services and insurance, food services and accommodations, recreational goods and vehicles

29. Michigan

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $4,172 per capita
• Cost of living: -5.8% less than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $41.9 billion
• Total population: 10.0 million
• Other major spending categories: Financial services and insurance, gasoline and other energy goods, recreational goods and vehicles, clothing and footwear, housing and utilities

28. Ohio

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $4,173 per capita
• Cost of living: -8.2% less than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $49.2 billion
• Total population: 11.8 million
• Other major spending categories: Health care, recreational goods and vehicles, gasoline and other energy goods, recreation services, furnishings and durable household equipment

27. Pennsylvania

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $4,201 per capita
• Cost of living: -2.5% less than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $54.5 billion
• Total population: 13.0 million
• Other major spending categories: Recreational goods and vehicles, financial services and insurance, health care, furnishings and durable household equipment, gasoline and other energy goods, clothing and footwear

26. Kentucky

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $4,226 per capita
• Cost of living: -9.5% less than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $19.1 billion
• Total population: 4.5 million
• Other major spending categories: Gasoline and other energy goods, health care, motor vehicles and parts, recreation services, food services and accommodations

25. Delaware

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $4,237 per capita
• Cost of living: -0.7% less than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $4.4 billion
• Total population: 1.0 million
• Other major spending categories: Health care, furnishings and durable household equipment, food services and accommodations, gasoline and other energy goods, housing and utilities, clothing and footwear

24. North Carolina

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $4,272 per capita
• Cost of living: -5.9% less than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $46.3 billion
• Total population: 10.8 million
• Other major spending categories: Recreational goods and vehicles, furnishings and durable household equipment, motor vehicles and parts, clothing and footwear, recreation services

23. New York

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $4,278 per capita
• Cost of living: +7.6% more than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $83.7 billion
• Total population: 19.6 million
• Other major spending categories: Clothing and footwear, health care, financial services and insurance, food services and accommodations, transportation services, housing and utilities

22. West Virginia

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $4,288 per capita
• Cost of living: -10.2% less than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $7.6 billion
• Total population: 1.8 million
• Other major spending categories: Health care, gasoline and other energy goods, motor vehicles and parts, financial services and insurance, housing and utilities

21. South Carolina

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $4,293 per capita
• Cost of living: -6.8% less than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $23.1 billion
• Total population: 5.4 million
• Other major spending categories: Gasoline and other energy goods, motor vehicles and parts, clothing and footwear, housing and utilities, food services and accommodations

20. Virginia

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $4,389 per capita
• Cost of living: +0.7% more than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $38.3 billion
• Total population: 8.7 million
• Other major spending categories: Recreation services, clothing and footwear, housing and utilities, recreational goods and vehicles, food services and accommodations

19. New Jersey

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $4,432 per capita
• Cost of living: +8.9% more than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $41.2 billion
• Total population: 9.3 million
• Other major spending categories: Clothing and footwear, furnishings and durable household equipment, housing and utilities, financial services and insurance, recreation services, health care

18. Georgia

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $4,444 per capita
• Cost of living: -3.3% less than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $49.0 billion
• Total population: 11.0 million
• Other major spending categories: Transportation services, clothing and footwear, motor vehicles and parts, gasoline and other energy goods, recreation services

17. Connecticut

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $4,474 per capita
• Cost of living: +3.7% more than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $16.2 billion
• Total population: 3.6 million
• Other major spending categories: Financial services and insurance, transportation services, furnishings and durable household equipment, recreation services, housing and utilities, clothing and footwear

16. Rhode Island

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $4,518 per capita
• Cost of living: +1.4% more than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $5.0 billion
• Total population: 1.1 million
• Other major spending categories: Transportation services, food services and accommodations, recreation services, housing and utilities, health care

15. Kansas

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $4,526 per capita
• Cost of living: -10.0% less than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $13.3 billion
• Total population: 2.9 million
• Other major spending categories: Motor vehicles and parts, financial services and insurance, furnishings and durable household equipment, health care, gasoline and other energy goods

14. Washington

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $4,543 per capita
• Cost of living: +8.6% more than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $35.5 billion
• Total population: 7.8 million
• Other major spending categories: Transportation services, recreational goods and vehicles, recreation services, housing and utilities, furnishings and durable household equipment

13. Nevada

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $4,562 per capita
• Cost of living: -3.0% less than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $14.6 billion
• Total population: 3.2 million
• Other major spending categories: Furnishings and durable household equipment, recreation services, housing and utilities, food services and accommodations, financial services and insurance

12. California

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $4,708 per capita
• Cost of living: +12.6% more than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $183.4 billion
• Total population: 39.0 million
• Other major spending categories: Clothing and footwear, recreation services, food services and accommodations, housing and utilities, transportation services, health care

11. Florida

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $4,736 per capita
• Cost of living: +3.5% more than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $107.1 billion
• Total population: 22.6 million
• Other major spending categories: Furnishings and durable household equipment, housing and utilities, financial services and insurance, food services and accommodations, recreational goods and vehicles

10. Alaska

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $4,798 per capita
• Cost of living: +1.7% more than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $3.5 billion
• Total population: 733,406
• Other major spending categories: Health care, recreation services, recreational goods and vehicles, transportation services, food services and accommodations, furnishings and durable household equipment

9. Massachusetts

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $4,870 per capita
• Cost of living: +8.2% more than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $34.1 billion
• Total population: 7.0 million
• Other major spending categories: Transportation services, housing and utilities, financial services and insurance, health care, recreation services, food services and accommodations

8. Wyoming

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $4,896 per capita
• Cost of living: -9.2% less than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $2.9 billion
• Total population: 584,057
• Other major spending categories: Financial services and insurance, clothing and footwear, motor vehicles and parts, gasoline and other energy goods, transportation services

7. Colorado

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $4,922 per capita
• Cost of living: +1.4% more than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $28.9 billion
• Total population: 5.9 million
• Other major spending categories: Furnishings and durable household equipment, recreation services, housing and utilities, food services and accommodations, recreational goods and vehicles, clothing and footwear

6. Oregon

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $4,933 per capita
• Cost of living: +4.7% more than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $20.9 billion
• Total population: 4.2 million
• Other major spending categories: Furnishings and durable household equipment, recreational goods and vehicles, clothing and footwear, food services and accommodations, housing and utilities

5. Montana

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $4,957 per capita
• Cost of living: -9.8% less than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $5.6 billion
• Total population: 1.1 million
• Other major spending categories: Motor vehicles and parts, recreation services, gasoline and other energy goods, transportation services, recreational goods and vehicles

4. Vermont

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $5,107 per capita
• Cost of living: -3.4% less than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $3.3 billion
• Total population: 647,464
• Other major spending categories: Motor vehicles and parts, health care, food services and accommodations, recreation services, gasoline and other energy goods

3. Maine

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $5,279 per capita
• Cost of living: -2.9% less than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $7.4 billion
• Total population: 1.4 million
• Other major spending categories: Gasoline and other energy goods, recreation services, food services and accommodations, motor vehicles and parts, health care

2. New Hampshire

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $5,396 per capita
• Cost of living: +5.3% more than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $7.6 billion
• Total population: 1.4 million
• Other major spending categories: Motor vehicles and parts, furnishings and durable household equipment, financial services and insurance, housing and utilities, clothing and footwear

1. Hawaii

• Personal grocery expenditure, adjusted for population: $5,507 per capita
• Cost of living: +8.6% more than national average
• Total grocery expenditure : $7.9 billion
• Total population: 1.4 million
• Other major spending categories: Food services and accommodations, housing and utilities, transportation services, recreation services, clothing and footwear

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