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Here Is How Much Gen X Pays for Groceries in Every State

January 4, 2025

6 min Read

Written by Nicole Spector

Edited by Molly Sullivan

Smiling young woman standing in grocery store and holding apple, choosing freshness fruits and putting into mesh bag.

bernardbodo / Getty Images/iStockphoto

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Known to be highly independent, self-reliant and just a wee bit cynical, Gen X is, overall, in a difficult position. They simply aren’t on track to have enough saved for a comfortable retirement, and the clock is ticking; the oldest Gen Xer will turn 60 years old in 2025.

Where you live makes a great deal of difference when it comes to cost of living. This pertains not only to housing, transportation and utility costs, but also to groceries. In a new study, GOBankingRates analyzed each U.S. state to find the average monthly expenses, including what goes toward groceries, on average, for Gen X. The states are ranked to reflect the most expensive to cheapest in terms of the average annual cost of groceries.

50. Hawaii

Household median income: $94,814
Total cost of living annually: $145,989
Total cost of groceries annually: $8,991

49. Alaska

Household median income: $86,370
Total cost of living annually: $86,416
Total cost of groceries annually: $8,936

48. California

Household median income: $91,905
Total cost of living annually: $114,750
Total cost of groceries annually: $7,630

47. Maryland

Household median income: $98,461
Total cost of living annually: $77,989
Total cost of groceries annually: $7,418

46. Vermont

Household median income: $74,014
Total cost of living annually: $76,681
Total cost of groceries annually: $7,322

45. Oregon

Household median income: $76,632
Total cost of living annually: $81,115
Total cost of groceries annually: $7,316

44. Idaho

Household median income: $70,214
Total cost of living annually: $72,813
Total cost of groceries annually: $7,240

43. Washington

Household median income: $90,325
Total cost of living annually: $89,387
Total cost of groceries annually: $7,234

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42. Massachusetts

Household median income: $96,505
Total cost of living annually: $104,740
Total cost of groceries annually: $7,220

41. New Jersey

Household median income: $97,126
Total cost of living annually: $85,737
Total cost of groceries annually: $7,213

40. New York

Household median income: $81,386
Total cost of living annually: $80,852
Total cost of groceries annually: $7,152

39. Florida

Household median income: $67,917
Total cost of living annually: $73,431
Total cost of groceries annually: $7,138

38. Montana

Household median income: $66,341
Total cost of living annually: $73,833
Total cost of groceries annually: $7,049

37. Delaware

Household median income: $79,325
Total cost of living annually: $70,736
Total cost of groceries annually: $7,035

36. Maine

Household median income: $68,251
Total cost of living annually: $76,981
Total cost of groceries annually: $7,028

35. Nevada

Household median income: $71,646
Total cost of living annually: $77,213
Total cost of groceries annually: $7,022

34. Connecticut

Household median income: $90,213
Total cost of living annually: $81,856
Total cost of groceries annually: $7,001

33. Minnesota

Household median income: $84,313
Total cost of living annually: $66,640
Total cost of groceries annually: $6,960

32. Rhode Island

Household median income: $81,370
Total cost of living annually: $83,269
Total cost of groceries annually: $6,933

31. Colorado

Household median income: $87,598
Total cost of living annually: $80,711
Total cost of groceries annually: $6,919

30. Arizona

Household median income: $72,581
Total cost of living annually: $76,986
Total cost of groceries annually: $6,885

29. Kentucky

Household median income: $60,183
Total cost of living annually: $54,845
Total cost of groceries annually: $6,844

28. New Hampshire

Household median income: $90,845
Total cost of living annually: $81,924
Total cost of groceries annually: $6,837

27. Virginia

Household median income: $87,249
Total cost of living annually: $71,885
Total cost of groceries annually: $6,837

26. Nebraska

Household median income: $71,722
Total cost of living annually: $59,386
Total cost of groceries annually: $6,816

25. Pennsylvania

Household median income: $73,170
Total cost of living annually: $62,011
Total cost of groceries annually: $6,816

Today's Top Offers

24. Ohio

Household median income: $66,990
Total cost of living annually: $59,050
Total cost of groceries annually: $6,775

23. West Virginia

Household median income: $55,217
Total cost of living annually: $53,171
Total cost of groceries annually: $6,762

22. Wyoming

Household median income: $72,495
Total cost of living annually: $65,513
Total cost of groceries annually: $6,755

21. South Carolina

Household median income: $63,623
Total cost of living annually: $63,086
Total cost of groceries annually: $6,748

20. North Carolina

Household median income: $66,186
Total cost of living annually: $66,147
Total cost of groceries annually: $6,741

19. Illinois

Household median income: $78,433
Total cost of living annually: $62,443
Total cost of groceries annually: $6,721

18. Michigan

Household median income: $68,505
Total cost of living annually: $58,775
Total cost of groceries annually: $6,721

17. Utah

Household median income: $86,833
Total cost of living annually: $79,721
Total cost of groceries annually: $6,666

16. Indiana

Household median income: $67,173
Total cost of living annually: $57,535
Total cost of groceries annually: $6,659

15. Georgia

Household median income: $71,355
Total cost of living annually: $64,959
Total cost of groceries annually: $6,605

14. Tennessee

Household median income: $64,035
Total cost of living annually: $61,796
Total cost of groceries annually: $6,605

13. Wisconsin

Household median income: $72,458
Total cost of living annually: $62,943
Total cost of groceries annually: $6,605

12. Alabama

Household median income: $59,609
Total cost of living annually: $56,264
Total cost of groceries annually: $6,598

11. New Mexico

Household median income: $58,722
Total cost of living annually: $61,243
Total cost of groceries annually: $6,570

10. Iowa

Household median income: $70,571
Total cost of living annually: $56,348
Total cost of groceries annually: $6,564

9. Texas

Household median income: $73,035
Total cost of living annually: $63,428
Total cost of groceries annually: $6,564

8. South Dakota

Household median income: $69,457
Total cost of living annually: $61,557
Total cost of groceries annually: $6,550

Today's Top Offers

7. Missouri

Household median income: $65,920
Total cost of living annually: $58,722
Total cost of groceries annually: $6,529

6. Louisiana

Household median income: $57,852
Total cost of living annually: $52,977
Total cost of groceries annually: $6,522

5. Mississippi

Household median income: $52,985
Total cost of living annually: $52,376
Total cost of groceries annually: $6,522

4. Kansas

Household median income: $69,747
Total cost of living annually: $57,472
Total cost of groceries annually: $6,488

3. North Dakota

Household median income: $73,959
Total cost of living annually: $58,659
Total cost of groceries annually: $6,475

2. Arkansas

Household median income: $56,335
Total cost of living annually: $54,029
Total cost of groceries annually: $6,468

1. Oklahoma

Household median income: $61,364
Total cost of living annually: $54,462
Total cost of groceries annually: $6,468

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.

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