These States Have the Cheapest Grocery Store Prices Right Now, According to a Ne…

Grocery store prices are a hot topic. The cost of food has been climbing since the onset of the pandemic and has just kept going up. As Food & Wine previously reported, the cost of food consumed at home in the U.S. rose by an average of 21.7% between February 2020 and fall 2024, according to an analysis by University of Michigan economist Don Grimes.

However, some states in the U.S. have it better than others. 

In January, Food Label Maker released its report on which states have the highest and lowest average grocery store prices. To reach its conclusion, it analyzed grocery costs per person in 2024, compared those prices in each state to the national average, and tracked changes in pricing over the last two years along with regional price trends via Datasembly. The team also examined “absolute costs per person and the percentage change in grocery prices from 2022 to 2024 to identify stability or volatility in pricing,” it added. 

“With rising inflation, understanding where your state stands in terms of grocery affordability has never been more important,” a spokesperson from Food Label Maker shared. “Consumers are increasingly focusing on stretching their budgets while prioritizing the quality and nutritional value of their purchases.”

After doing a whole lot of number crunching, it shared that Texas has the lowest grocery prices in the nation. 

“The state’s grocery costs are 9.7% below the national average, making it the most affordable in the study. Even with a 27.16% increase over the past two years, Texas continues to offer significant savings on groceries,” the team reported. 

Following in a close second is Michigan, which saw a 0.98% decline in grocery prices over the last two years, making it the only state in the study to see a decrease. It’s followed in third by Mississippi. However, as the team noted, while grocery pieces are affordable in the state, the actual cost of “groceries in Mississippi increased by 22.22% over the past two years. The state’s higher-than-average per-person cost ($423.33) reflects localized supply challenges but remains lower than the national average.” 

Also at the top of the list is Arkansas in fourth. The state, the study noted, also experienced the steepest price increase in the study, at 30.72% over two years. “This sharp rise highlights regional price pressures, even in historically low-cost states,” it added. Kentucky rounded out the top five as it only saw a 13.51% increase over the past two years. It’s followed by Indiana, Oklahoma, Kansas, Tennessee, and Georgia rounding out the top 10.