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How much each state spends on groceries.
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Groceries are expensive and it seems like prices rise every week. In fact, since 2019, grocery prices have increased almost 30%, according to the annual food price outlook by the USDA.
So, how much of our monthly income do we spend on groceries? Well, a new study by WalletHub found that and organized it by state spending. Here’s how they did it:
“WalletHub analyzed the prices of 26 commonly purchased grocery items across all 50 states. We then totaled these costs and compared them with each state’s median household income to identify where residents devote the largest percentage of their income to groceries,” according to the study, which can be found online.
So, how much income do Georgians spend on groceries? Let’s take a look:
How much do people in GA spend on groceries?
Georgia ranked 31st on the study, which means Georgia residents spend 1.95% of their median monthly household income on groceries.
So, Georgia folks are doing pretty well, but what about other states? Here’s what to know:
Which states spend the most of their income on groceries?
Number one: Mississippi (2.60%)
2: West Virginia (2.54%)
3: Arkansas (2.44%)
4: Louisiana (2.38%)
5: Kentucky (2.37%)
Which states spend the least on groceries?
Number 50: Massachusetts (1.51%)
49: New Jersey (1.51%)
48: Maryland (1.55%)
47: New Hampshire (1.56%)
46: Utah (1.58%)
Tips for saving money when buying groceries
Here are some money-saving tips from Nerdwallet:
- Check what you already have and make a list
- Limit your shopping trips
- Stick to your list
- Pay attention to prices
- Check your mail and email (for coupons, discounts)
What do you think of this study? Let me know in the comments or email me at cmadden@mcclatchy.com
Chelsea is a service journalism reporter who began working for McClatchy in 2022. She was born and raised in Middle Georgia and lives in Forsyth. She attended Wesleyan College for undergrad and a few years after that, went to SCAD for an MFA in writing. Outside of work, Chelsea likes to watch Netflix, read books in the thriller genre and chase her toddler around.