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Here’s How Many Hours You Need To Work To Afford Groceries in Each State

April 10, 2025

10 min Read

Written by Jake Safane

Edited by Cory Dudak

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The cost of groceries continues to increase, such as with egg prices jumping from an average of $4.15 per dozen in December 2024 to $4.95 in January, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Even with incomes rising, many Americans feel it’s hard to keep up, especially since those gains and price changes aren’t always evenly distributed.

In particular, grocery affordability varies significantly by state, as a study by BadCredit.org found. By analyzing a mix of government data and economic studies, BadCredit.org determined how many hours you’d need to work just to afford the average grocery haul by state, based on whether you earn the median income or minimum wage. The results show cost of living doesn’t always align with grocery affordability, as low wages might mean you have to work more than someone in a higher-cost-of-living (but higher-income) area.

In Mississippi, for example, you’d need to work over 10 hours per week on a median income just to afford an average weekly grocery bill in the state — more than anywhere else in the country. By contrast, you’d only need to work 3.65 hours in Washington D.C. to afford grocers on a median income.

That said, sometimes the scales tip the other way, such as with states like Alaska having a minimum wage of $11.91, which significantly exceeds the federal minimum of $7.25 per hour. Yet, high grocery costs mean you’d have to work more hours at minimum wage in Alaska (17.58) than in Michigan (12.58 hours), which has a minimum wage of $10.56.

Find out below the hours needed to afford weekly groceries on both median and minimum wage earnings, based on BadCredit.org’s study. Also listed are U.S. Census Bureau data on median household income, and U.S. Department of Labor data on state minimum wages to provide more specific comparison points.

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Alabama

Median Household Income: $62,212
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 7.45
Minimum Wage: $7.25
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 20.44

Alaska

Median Household Income: $86,631
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 7.64
Minimum Wage: $11.91
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 17.58

Arizona

Median Household Income: $77,315
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 7.05
Minimum Wage: $14.70
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 11.26

Arkansas

Median Household Income: $58,700
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 7.49
Minimum Wage: $11.00
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 12.78

California

Median Household Income: $95,521
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 6.81
Minimum Wage: $16.50
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 11.05

Colorado

Median Household Income: $92,911
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 5.75
Minimum Wage: $14.81
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 10.37

Connecticut

Median Household Income: $91,665
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 6.29
Minimum Wage: $16.35
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 10.82

Delaware

Median Household Income: $81,361
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 6.03
Minimum Wage: $15.00
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 10.79

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Florida

Median Household Income: $73,311
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 7.52
Minimum Wage: $13.00
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 13.57

Georgia

Median Household Income: $74,632
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 7.75
Minimum Wage: $7.25
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 23.38

Hawaii

Median Household Income: $95,322
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 8.21
Minimum Wage: $14.00
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 14.23

Idaho

Median Household Income: $74,942
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 7.03
Minimum Wage: $7.25
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 20.62

Illinois

Median Household Income: $80,306
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 6.68
Minimum Wage: $15.00
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 11.19

Indiana

Median Household Income: $69,477
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 6.27
Minimum Wage: $7.25
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 18.89

Iowa

Median Household Income: $71,433
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 6.03
Minimum Wage: $7.25
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 18.58

Kansas

Median Household Income: $70,333
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 6.72
Minimum Wage: $7.25
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 20.16

Kentucky

Median Household Income: $61,118
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 7.21
Minimum Wage: $7.25
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 20.90

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Louisiana

Median Household Income: $58,229
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 8.31
Minimum Wage: $7.25
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 22.77

Maine

Median Household Income: $73,733
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 5.42
Minimum Wage: $14.65
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 8.77

Maryland

Median Household Income: $98,678
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 5.59
Minimum Wage: $15.00
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 10.00

Massachusetts

Median Household Income: $99,858
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 5.59
Minimum Wage: $15.00
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 10.87

Michigan

Median Household Income: $69,183
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 5.76
Minimum Wage: $10.56
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 12.58

Minnesota

Median Household Income: $85,086
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 4.74
Minimum Wage: $11.13
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 10.70

Mississippi

Median Household Income: $54,203
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 10.53
Minimum Wage: $7.25
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 26.19

Missouri

Median Household Income: $68,545
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 5.99
Minimum Wage: $13.75
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 10.55

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Montana

Median Household Income: $70,804
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 6.61
Minimum Wage: $10.55
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 14.09

Nebraska

Median Household Income: $74,590
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 6.14
Minimum Wage: $13.50
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 11.43

Nevada

Median Household Income: $76,364
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 7.23
Minimum Wage: $12.00
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 12.97

New Hampshire

Median Household Income: $96,838
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 5.19
Minimum Wage: $7.25
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 17.20

New Jersey

Median Household Income: $99,781
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 7.27
Minimum Wage: $15.49
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 12.68

New Mexico

Median Household Income: $62,268
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 7.99
Minimum Wage: $12.00
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 13.96

New York

Median Household Income: $82,095
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 6.45
Minimum Wage: $15.50
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 11.75

North Carolina

Median Household Income: $70,804
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 7.79
Minimum Wage: $7.25
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 23.47

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North Dakota

Median Household Income: $76,525
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 6.49
Minimum Wage: $7.25
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 21.00

Ohio

Median Household Income: $67,769
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 6.26
Minimum Wage: $10.70
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 13.45

Oklahoma

Median Household Income: $62,138
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 7.61
Minimum Wage: $7.25
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 20.92

Oregon

Median Household Income: $80,160
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 6.04
Minimum Wage: $14.70
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 9.88

Pennsylvania

Median Household Income: $73,824
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 6.52
Minimum Wage: $7.25
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 20.52

Rhode Island

Median Household Income: $84,972
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 5.62
Minimum Wage: $15.00
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 9.84

South Carolina

Median Household Income: $67,804
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 8.08
Minimum Wage: $7.25
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 22.63

South Dakota

Median Household Income: $71,810
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 6.37
Minimum Wage: $11.50
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 11.95

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Tennessee

Median Household Income: $67,631
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 6.65
Minimum Wage: $7.25
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 19.31

Texas

Median Household Income: $75,780
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 7.15
Minimum Wage: $7.25
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 21.80

Utah

Median Household Income: $93,421
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 5.87
Minimum Wage: $7.25
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 18.29

Vermont

Median Household Income: $81,211
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 5.51
Minimum Wage: $14.01
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 9.61

Virginia

Median Household Income: $89,931
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 6.24
Minimum Wage: $12.41
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 12.47

Washington

Median Household Income: $94,605
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 5.56
Minimum Wage: $16.66
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 9.85

Washington D.C.

Median Household Income: $108,210
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 3.65
Minimum Wage: $17.50
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 8.47

West Virginia

Median Household Income: $55,948
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 8.43
Minimum Wage: $8.75
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 18.43

Wisconsin

Median Household Income: $74,631
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 5.39
Minimum Wage: $7.25
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 17.01

Wyoming

Median Household Income: $72,415
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Median Income: 6.59
Minimum Wage: $7.25
Hours Needed To Afford Weekly Groceries Based on Minimum Wage: 20.65

Note: For minimum wage data, some states have no minimum wage or a minimum wage below the federal level. Typically in those cases, the federal minimum wage of $7.25 still applies, or laws can vary by factors like business size. Also, minimum wage laws can vary by municipality, such as how some areas of New York like New York City have a minimum wage of $16.50, while other parts of the state have a minimum wage of $15.50. For simplicity’s sake, the data here includes the standard baseline state minimum wage, but in some situations the minimum might actually be higher or lower.

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