Comprehensive 2026 Snapshot • All 50 States
Quick answer: This page compares all 50 US states on a 2026 classroom snapshot: cost-of-living (COL) index where 100 = the US baseline (a lower index means cheaper relative to that baseline), illustrative estimated annual cost of living, median household income, combined average sales tax, and 87-octane gas. In this dataset, Oklahoma has the lowest COL index (83.5, about $41,750/yr illustrative COL), Massachusetts leads median income ($104,828; New Jersey is #2), five states have no state sales tax (AK, DE, MT, NH, OR), and Indiana shows the cheapest gas ($3.356/gal, June 2026 AAA). Use Compare two states to scale a salary by the cost-of-living index, or open the map, sortable table, or a state page. Educational snapshot, not relocation or tax advice.
Page updated October 24, 2026. Gas is the June 20, 2026 AAA snapshot already printed here. Income, cost of living, and sales tax were not re-pulled in this review. Educational, not financial advice.
Pick a salary and two states. The table is this snapshot. The salary line scales pay by the cost-of-living index only.
Click any state for complete details • Hover for quick stats
Click column headers to sort • Use search to filter
| State | COL Index | Est. Annual COL | Median HH Income | Sales Tax (Comb.) | Gas $/gal | Most Populous City | Details |
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Answers about what this explorer shows and how to use it. Educational snapshot — not relocation or tax advice.
A 2026 classroom snapshot comparing all 50 US states on cost-of-living index (100 = national baseline), estimated annual cost of living, median household income, combined average sales tax, and 87-octane gas price. The hub includes a choropleth map, sortable table, per-state detail modals, CSV export, and the Couple's State Ranker dual-player game.
A lower COL index means lower cost of living relative to the US baseline of 100. Use the map color selector or click table column headers to sort states by COL index or the other metrics.
Click a state name in the sortable table or the permalink in a state's detail modal. Each state has an indexable page at /50states/{slug} (for example /50states/california) with the same core numbers plus an FAQ.
A dual-player mode on this hub: two people independently rank each state into five bins, then the tool shows a ranked list of states that score Maybe or higher for both players, based on combined scores.
Sales tax from Tax Foundation; income and cost of living from BEA / ACS; gas prices from AAA (June 20, 2026 snapshot noted on the hub). Educational snapshot — not relocation or tax advice.
Yes. Use the download control in the header to export the state dataset as CSV from the explorer.
Type a salary, pick the state you earn it in, and the state you are considering. The result multiplies your salary by the other state's cost-of-living index divided by your state's index. It is purchasing power in this snapshot, not a tax-equalized job offer.
An index under 100 means this snapshot's price basket is cheaper than the US baseline of 100. It is not your rent, grocery bill, or tax return.
Two people. One phone. Rank all 50 states into 5 bins, then see the ranked list of places that work for both of you.
1. You'll see one state at a time with key stats.
2. Both of you independently pick a category for that state.
3. After all 50, we combine your ratings into a ranked list of states that work for both of you.