Advertiser Disclosure

Here Is How Much Millennials Pay for Groceries in Every State

February 4, 2025

9 min Read

Written by Nicole Spector

Edited by Gabrielle Olya

Supermarket aisle, woman legs and basket for shopping in grocery store.

Adene Sanchez / iStock/Getty Images

Commitment to Our Readers

GOBankingRates' editorial team is committed to bringing you unbiased reviews and information. We use data-driven methodologies to evaluate financial products and services - our reviews and ratings are not influenced by advertisers. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and our products and services review methodology.

20 Years
Helping You Live Richer

Reviewed
by Experts

Trusted by
Millions of Readers

Every generation in the U.S. has to cope with financial anxiety. It comes with the territory of living in a country where the cost of living relentlessly ticks up year after year. Millennials are no exception; in fact, studies show they’re even more anxious about money than boomers. One factor that could be driving their anxiety is the soaring cost of groceries.

Though grocery prices are infamously rising across the U.S., the monthly amount consumers spend on groceries fluctuates state by state, and, interestingly enough, by generation. In a new study, GOBankingRates analyzed each U.S. state to find the average monthly grocery costs and other necessary monthly expenditures for millennials. The states below are ranked to show the most expensive to cheapest in terms of the monthly cost of groceries for millennials.

50. Hawaii

Household median income: $94,814
Total cost of living annually: $132,989
Total cost of groceries annually: $7,715

49. Alaska

Household median income: $86,370
Total cost of living annually: $78,043
Total cost of groceries annually: $7,668

48. California

Household median income: $91,905
Total cost of living annually: $104,999
Total cost of groceries annually: $6,548

47. Maryland

Household median income: $98,461
Total cost of living annually: $70,537
Total cost of groceries annually: $6,366

46. Vermont

Household median income: $74,014
Total cost of living annually: $69,337
Total cost of groceries annually: $6,284

45. Oregon

Household median income: $76,632
Total cost of living annually: $73,541
Total cost of groceries annually: $6,278

44. Idaho

Household median income: $70,214
Total cost of living annually: $66,225
Total cost of groceries annually: $6,213

43. Washington

Household median income: $90,325
Total cost of living annually: $81,667
Total cost of groceries annually: $6,207

Today's Top Offers

42. Massachusetts

Household median income: $96,505
Total cost of living annually: $95,400
Total cost of groceries annually: $6,196

41. New Jersey

Household median income: $97,126
Total cost of living annually: $78,135
Total cost of groceries annually: $6,190

40. New York

Household median income: $81,386
Total cost of living annually: $72,590
Total cost of groceries annually: $6,137

39. Florida

Household median income: $67,917
Total cost of living annually: $66,689
Total cost of groceries annually: $6,125

38. Montana

Household median income: $66,341
Total cost of living annually: $67,504
Total cost of groceries annually: $6,049

37. Delaware

Household median income: $79,325
Total cost of living annually: $64,193
Total cost of groceries annually: $6,037

36. Maine

Household median income: $68,251
Total cost of living annually: $69,514
Total cost of groceries annually: $6,031

35. Nevada

Household median income: $71,646
Total cost of living annually: $70,354
Total cost of groceries annually: $6,025

34. Connecticut

Household median income: $90,213
Total cost of living annually: $74,557
Total cost of groceries annually: $6,008

33. Minnesota

Household median income: $84,313
Total cost of living annually: $60,509
Total cost of groceries annually: $5,973

32. Rhode Island

Household median income: $81,370
Total cost of living annually: $76,276
Total cost of groceries annually: $5,949

31. Colorado

Household median income: $87,598
Total cost of living annually: $74,124
Total cost of groceries annually: $5,937

30. Arizona

Household median income: $72,581
Total cost of living annually: $69,706
Total cost of groceries annually: $5,908

29. Kentucky

Household median income: $60,183
Total cost of living annually: $48,865
Total cost of groceries annually: $5,873

28. New Hampshire

Household median income: $90,845
Total cost of living annually: $74,812
Total cost of groceries annually: $5,867

27. Virginia

Household median income: $87,249
Total cost of living annually: $65,248
Total cost of groceries annually: $5,867

26. Nebraska

Household median income: $71,722
Total cost of living annually: $53,408
Total cost of groceries annually: $5,849

25. Pennsylvania

Household median income: $73,170
Total cost of living annually: $55,935
Total cost of groceries annually: $5,849

Today's Top Offers

24. Ohio

Household median income: $66,990
Total cost of living annually: $53,009
Total cost of groceries annually: $5,814

23. West Virginia

Household median income: $55,217
Total cost of living annually: $47,617
Total cost of groceries annually: $5,802

22. Wyoming

Household median income: $72,495
Total cost of living annually: $59,496
Total cost of groceries annually: $5,797

21. South Carolina

Household median income: $63,623
Total cost of living annually: $57,036
Total cost of groceries annually: $5,791

20. North Carolina

Household median income: $66,186
Total cost of living annually: $59,873
Total cost of groceries annually: $5,785

19. Illinois

Household median income: $78,433
Total cost of living annually: $56,258
Total cost of groceries annually: $5,767

18. Michigan

Household median income: $68,505
Total cost of living annually: $52,999
Total cost of groceries annually: $5,767

17. Utah

Household median income: $86,833
Total cost of living annually: $72,880
Total cost of groceries annually: $5,720

16. Indiana

Household median income: $67,173
Total cost of living annually: $51,692
Total cost of groceries annually: $5,714

15. Georgia

Household median income: $71,355
Total cost of living annually: $59,010
Total cost of groceries annually: $5,668

14. Tennessee

Household median income: $64,035
Total cost of living annually: $55,992
Total cost of groceries annually: $5,668

13. Wisconsin

Household median income: $72,458
Total cost of living annually: $56,878
Total cost of groceries annually: $5,668

12. Alabama

Household median income: $59,609
Total cost of living annually: $50,752
Total cost of groceries annually: $5,662

11. New Mexico

Household median income: $58,722
Total cost of living annually: $55,248
Total cost of groceries annually: $5,638

10. Iowa

Household median income $70,571
Total cost of living annually: $50,566
Total cost of groceries annually: $5,632

9. Texas

Household median income: $73,035
Total cost of living annually: $57,518
Total cost of groceries annually: $5,632

8. South Dakota

Household median income: $69,457
Total cost of living annually: $55,543
Total cost of groceries annually: $5,621

Today's Top Offers

7. Missouri

Household median income: $65,920
Total cost of living annually: $52,976
Total cost of groceries annually: $5,603

6. Louisiana

Household median income: $57,852
Total cost of living annually: $47,165
Total cost of groceries annually: $5,597

5. Mississippi

Household median income: $52,985
Total cost of living annually: $46,702
Total cost of groceries annually: $5,597

4. Kansas

Household median income: $69,747
Total cost of living annually: $51,741
Total cost of groceries annually: $5,568

3. North Dakota

Household median income: $73,959
Total cost of living annually: $52,684
Total cost of groceries annually: $5,556

2. Arkansas

Household median income: $56,335
Total cost of living annually: $48,453
Total cost of groceries annually: $5,550

1. Oklahoma

Household median income: $61,364
Total cost of living annually: $48,918
Total cost of groceries annually: $5,550

Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed each U.S. state to find the average monthly expenses and the highest expenditure cost for different generations. First, GOBankingRates found information on each state including; total population, population ages 65 and over, total households, household median income all sourced from the U.S. Census American Community Survey. The cost of living indexes for each state as sourced from Missouri Economic Research Information Center. For each cost of living index the average expenditure cost can be calculated using the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey 2602 for different generations. The generations are defined as; Gen Z born between 1997 or later, millennials born between 1981-1997, Gen X born between 1965-1980, and boomers born between 1946-1964. This calculation gives the average expenditure cost of living for each generation in each state. Using the average home value as sourced from Zillow Home Value Index for August 2024, assuming a 10% down payment, and using the national average 30-year fixed mortgage rate as sourced from the Federal Reserve Economic Data, the average mortgage cost can be calculated. Using the average mortgage and expenditure costs the total cost of living can be calculated for each state and for each generation. The highest expenditure index and average monthly cost were also shown to find the highest expenditure cost for each state. The states were sorted to show the cheapest to most expensive total cost of living. The data was collected on and is up to date as of Aug. 24, 2024.

More From GOBankingRates