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Americans looking for affordable places to live have one clear path: head to the South or Midwest.
A new study by seven seas around the world Ranking all 50 states based on affordability for people planning to move in 2026. The results show a big divide between regions. Every single state in the top 10 comes from either the South or the Midwest.
Arkansas took the top spot with a score of 88.43. The state provided lower costs in nearly every category measured in the study.
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Seven Seas Worldwide analyzed six key metrics to determine affordability: rent, average home price, utilities, car registration fees, driver’s license fees and average moving labor wages. Each factor received a weighted score to create the final ranking.
Arkansas tops the list with the third lowest average rent in the US at $1,093 and average home price at $255,300. The state also offered a low registration fee of $24 and cheap transportation labor of $21.19 per hour.
Mississippi ranked second with the sixth-lowest median home price at $255,100 and the second-cheapest car registration fee in the country at just $12.75.
Nebraska performed well in all categories and finished in the top three. The state’s rent was 11th lowest at $1,285, utility affordability ranked sixth at $379.34, and car registration fees were lowest at $20.50.
Iowa ranked fourth in the entire study, offering the most affordable median home price at just $230,600. Fares remained low at $1,220 and driver’s license fees were only $17.50.
Oklahoma took fifth place, claiming the lowest average rent in the US at $1,035. The median home price reached $245,900, the second lowest price in the country. The high car registration cost of $96 represents the only real drawback.
The rest of the top 10 include Louisiana, Missouri, Kansas, New Mexico and South Dakota. All delivered strong strengths across multiple categories.
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The bottom of the rankings told a very different story. The least affordable positions are dominated by coastal states.
Hawaii finished last at number 50 with a score of only 22.26. The average home price reached $975,500 and the average rent reached $2,668. Massachusetts came in 49th with rents of $2,837 and home prices of $749,900.
California ranked 48th with a median home price of $866,100 and median rent of $2,587. New York ranked 47th, with rents at $2,739 per month. Washington dropped out of the bottom five in 46th place.
The gap between the most and least affordable states was huge. The median home price in Arkansas, $255,300, seemed like a cheap deal compared to Hawaii’s $975,500. Oklahoma’s $1,035 fare seemed cheap compared to Massachusetts’ $2,837.
extraordinary numbers
Some states dominated specific power categories. Oklahoma’s average rent of $1,035 represents the lowest in the US. Iowa’s median home price of $230,600 makes homeownership more attainable than anywhere else.
New Mexico led the way in utility costs. The state ranks second nationally for lowest utility bills at just $362.81 per month. The mild climate and renewable energy focus helped keep energy costs low despite high home prices.
Kansas offered the cheapest driver’s license fee in the US at just $4. Missouri came in second with a $10 fee. These transportation savings add up exponentially for new residents.
Wayne Mills, spokesman for Seven Seas Worldwide, said the study showed how much affordability shapes Americans’ decisions about where they want to live.
“More people are rethinking their locations as everyday expenses have increased almost everywhere,” Mills said. “When you put all the numbers together, rent, home prices, energy bills, transportation costs and what movers charge, the difference from one state to another can be huge.”
Mills said transportation-related costs are often overlooked. “Most people think about rent or home price, but things like registration fees, utilities and movers’ costs can add up quickly.”
Overall Ranking: All 50 States
Here is the ranking of all 50 states based on affordability in 2026:
- Arkansas (88.43)
- Mississippi (87.20)
- nebraska (86.95)
- Iowa (86.09)
- Oklahoma (85.85)
- Louisiana (85.83)
- Missouri (85.44)
- Kansas (85.28)
- New Mexico (83.14)
- South Dakota (82.97)
- Indiana (80.99)
- Kentucky (80.84)
- Alabama (79.43)
- Ohio (79.26)
- West Virginia (78.75)
- Michigan (78.31)
- Texas (77.27)
- Wyoming (77.16)
- Minnesota (76.91)
- North Dakota (76.88)
- North Carolina (76.73)
- Tennessee (76.23)
- Wisconsin (75.32)
- South Carolina (74.66)
- idaho (74.01)
- Nevada (72.73)
- Pennsylvania (72.28)
- Utah (71.71)
- Delaware (69.55)
- Arizona (68.85)
- Georgia (68.05)
- Main (67.34)
- Montana (64.08)
- Illinois (63.18)
- Florida (62.95)
- Virginia (62.88)
- Vermont (62.72)
- Colorado (61.86)
- Rhode Island (59.03)
- New Hampshire (58.44)
- Oregon (56.11)
- Maryland (55.32)
- Alaska (54.11)
- New Jersey (52.43)
- Connecticut (50.80)
- Washington (44.31)
- New York (40.28)
- California (36.34)
- Massachusetts (32.16)
- Hawaii (22.26)
The difference between top and bottom is huge. Arkansas scored 88.43 points while Hawaii could only score 22.26 points. This nearly four-to-one difference reflects dramatically different costs in housing, utilities and fees.
