The Price of Walmart Groceries in Every State
Written by
G. Brian Davis
Edited by
Rebekah Evans
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Grocery prices skyrocketed 23.6% from 2020 to 2024 according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That makes grocery inflation second only to transportation, in the rate of price changes.
Soaring prices have sent many shoppers hunting for deals at bargain stores like Walmart. But Walmart grocery prices vary across the country, so CashNetUSA recently ran a study of how the big box retailer’s prices compare in each state.
They compiled a grocery list of 12 staples such as eggs, chicken breast, milk, breakfast cereal, bread, cheese and potatoes and compared the checkout prices across the country. So where do Walmart groceries cost the least — and most — in the U.S.?
Also here are the best Walmart grocery deals to spend some of your tax return on.
Mapped Walmart Grocery Prices
It comes as no surprise that Hawaii and Alaska logged the highest grocery prices. After all, many of the staples above have to be shipped long distances to reach them.
Hawaii shoppers pay a whopping 33.98% more than the national average. Alaska shoppers don’t have it much better, paying 32.05% more than average.
Fortunately, the local up-charges drop sharply from there. In the continental U.S., Alabama consumers pay 9.30% more than the national average, followed by Arizonans who pay 4.42% more.
Cheapest States for Walmart Groceries
At the other end of the spectrum, Texas consumers pay 4.77% less than the national average. Everything else may be bigger in Texas, but not grocery prices.
The 10 cheapest states for Walmart groceries rank as follows:
- Texas: -4.77%
- Maryland: -4.41%
- Wisconsin: -4.00%
- New Mexico: -3.93%
- New York: -3.75%
- Iowa: -3.65%
- Kansas: -3.50%
- Oregon: -3.47%
- Utah: -3.32%
- New Hampshire: -3.14%
States Where Walmart Grocery Prices Are Rising Fastest
Today’s prices may not stick around long, with inflation fears back on the country’s radar.
Prices are rising faster in some states than others. The study found the price difference from the national average changing in each state as follows.
While groceries haven’t gotten cheaper in any state, some states became relatively more affordable between 2023 to 2024. Grocery prices dropped relative to the nation average by double digits in Georgia (17.11%), Missouri (13.57%) and Tennessee (12.81%).
Affordability: Grocery Prices vs. Local Incomes
How do Walmart grocery prices compare to local incomes in these states?
CashNetUSA calculated the average working hours it would take to earn enough to cover that 12-item grocery list in each state. They found the top 10 most and least affordable states for grocery shopping as follows.
Don’t expect grocery prices to come down any time soon. The USDA notes that beef prices rose 5.5% from January 2024 to January 2025 and expect them to grow by 3.2% this year. Egg prices shot up 53.0% in that period and the USDA expects them to rise 41.1% in 2025.
Dust off your old ramen noodle recipes, because groceries will likely feel expensive for the foreseeable future.
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