Marcel Freddy Pika

Using a US benchmark of 100, state living costs varied widely, shaped by housing, groceries, utilities, transportation, and other everyday expenses nationwide.
Hawaii ranked highest at 184.8, with island shipping, taxes, and especially housing pushing costs well above the US benchmark for everyday living.
Massachusetts placed second at 147.8, driven largely by the nation's highest medical costs, while California ranked third at 140.5 with transportation a major factor.
Southern states dominated the lowest-cost list, with Oklahoma at 83.5, Alabama at 85.0, and Mississippi at 86.2 leading nationwide for overall affordability.
Oklahoma paired the nation's lowest housing and transportation costs, while Alabama stood out for affordable healthcare and Mississippi for the country's lowest grocery prices.

The 2026 Cost-of-Living Index, Mapped

Payments usually arrive on the first day of each mo, or the prior business day when that date lands on a holiday or weekend.
The program supports people with limited income who are blind, age 65+, or have a qualifying disability, and higher earned or unearned income reduces benefits.
Maximum payments are $994 for individuals, $1,491 for couples filing jointly, and $498 for eligible people providing essential care to a recipient.
Recipients must meet citizenship or qualifying noncitizen rules, and retirees often receive less because they also collect retirement benefits under the program.
Eligibility requires living in covered US areas and not leaving the country for a full calendar mo or 30 straight days to qualify.