The average household in Massachusetts spends an estimated 7.8% of its income on groceries, according to a new ConsumerAffairs study.
This information means Massachusetts has the nation's second-smallest grocery cost burden, but that doesn't mean the state has the cheapest groceries.
Here's what to know
Rather than comparing checkout prices, the rankings measure how much of a household's income goes toward food. The study assessed grocery affordability in every state by comparing projected food expenses against median household earnings, according to Patch.
Massachusetts' median household earnings, the highest in the nation, helped keep that burden low.
Across the country, estimated grocery costs for a typical household total $8,019 a year — equivalent to $668 a month — according to Patch's account of the study. That works out to roughly 9.8% of household income, a bigger share than the Massachusetts estimate.
More background
The ConsumerAffairs study found Oklahoma ranked best for grocery affordability, with estimated food purchases taking 6.8% of household income, according to Patch. The other four lowest-burden states are Massachusetts, Maryland, Vermont, and Connecticut.
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Arkansas households faced the greatest burden, with grocery purchases consuming an estimated 11.7% of household earnings. Maine's 11.4% burden placed it second-highest, with Washington following at the same percentage.
Louisiana and Hawaiʻi rounded out the five highest-burden states, at 11.3% and 11.2%, respectively.
What can be done?
The U.S. Census Bureau supplied the household size and earnings data behind the rankings, while the U.S. Department of Agriculture supplied the grocery spending figures.
For Massachusetts residents, the 7.8% figure is a statewide estimate, not concrete information about any individual family's budget.
Between 2019 and 2025, household grocery outlays rose by 33.2%, increasing the typical family's annual grocery expenses by an estimated $1,733, according to Patch's account of the ConsumerAffairs study.
Where can I learn more?
Even with a low grocery burden, Massachusetts residents face larger concerns about the cost of living.
• Some Massachusetts residents say they can't comfortably afford living there even though they love the state.
• Massachusetts has the highest household income, but about 9% of its residents still live in poverty.
• Massachusetts families of four can now receive up to $1,023 per month in SNAP benefits.
• Utah, Alaska, and Idaho face the highest grocery bills amid steep organic markups.
• U.S. grocery bills may rise by mid-2027 after corn, wheat, and sugar price increases.
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