<p>-
- How Much Does the American Dream Cost in Your State?</p>
<p>T. WoodsJuly 26, 2025 at 10:05 PM</p>
<p>LeoPatrizi / Getty Images</p>
<p>Do you think you can afford the American dream in 2025? Especially with the ever-rising cost of living?</p>
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<p>To determine the true cost of the American dream, GOBankingRates began by defining it as a married couple with two children, a home, a car and a pet. From there, each state was analyzed with criteria that included annual grocery costs, pet care costs (based on the average annual cost of a dog and cat), an annual mortgage with a 20% down payment, annual healthcare costs, utilities costs, education costs and cost of child care. All annual costs were added up and doubled to define the cost of the American dream.</p>
<p>Ranked from most to least expensive, see the true cost of the American dream in all 50 states. Also see the cost in the 50 largest cities.</p>
<p>Art Wager / Getty Images50. Hawaii -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $238,680</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $119,340</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $11,816</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $29,022</p>
<p>Read Next: How Much Money Is Needed To Be Considered Middle Class in Every State?</p>
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<p>DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto49. Massachusetts -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $217,722</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $108,861</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $9,460</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $19,266</p>
<p>Also See: What Salary Single People Need To Live Comfortably in 100 Major US Cities</p>
<p>DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto48. California -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $209,767</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $104,883</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $10,121</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $23,794</p>
<p>Rocky Grimes / Getty Images/iStockphoto47. Alaska -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $195,120</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $97,560</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $11,517</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $11,389</p>
<p>benedek / Getty Images46. Washington -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $188,264</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $94,132</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $9,568</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $18,118</p>
<p>DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto45. New Jersey -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $182,445</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $91,222</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $9,442</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $16,744</p>
<p>SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images/iStockphoto44. Connecticut -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $180,799</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $90,399</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $9,297</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $12,894</p>
<p>Learn More: How Much You Need To Earn To Be Upper Middle Class in Every State</p>
<p>Sean Pavone / Getty Images/iStockphoto43. Colorado -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $180,766</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $90,383</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $9,124</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $16,587</p>
<p>SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images/iStockphoto42. Vermont -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $175,818</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $87,909</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $9,623</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $11,650</p>
<p>Long_Strange_Trip_01 / Getty Images/iStockphoto41. Oregon -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $174,662</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $87,331</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $9,623</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $14,963</p>
<p>lavin photography / Getty Images/iStockphoto40. Minnesota -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $173,697</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $86,849</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $9,251</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $10,057</p>
<p>DenisTangneyJr / iStock.com39. New Hampshire -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $170,862</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $85,431</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $9,052</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $14,876</p>
<p>FilippoBacci / Getty Images/iStockphoto38. New York -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $170,669</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $85,335</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $9,414</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $13,660</p>
<p>Sean Pavone / Getty Images/iStockphoto37. Rhode Island -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $169,838</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $84,919</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $9,233</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $14,233</p>
<p>See More: How Far $750,000 in Retirement Savings Plus Social Security Goes in Every State</p>
<p>Kruck20 / Getty Images/iStockphoto36. Maryland -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $168,005</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $84,002</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $9,704</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $12,906</p>
<p>lucky-photographer / Getty Images35. Nevada -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $161,922</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $80,961</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $9,351</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $13,753</p>
<p>Kruck20 / Getty Images/iStockphoto34. Arizona -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $156,394</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $78,197</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $9,161</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $13,012</p>
<p>Ron and Patty Thomas / Getty Images/iStockphoto33. Wisconsin -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $154,655</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $77,327</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $8,880</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $9,222</p>
<p>pabradyphoto / Getty Images/iStockphoto32. Delaware -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $153,910</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $76,955</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $9,288</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $11,415</p>
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<p>Sean Pavone / Getty Images/iStockphoto31. Maine -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $151,734</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $75,867</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $9,197</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $11,628</p>
<p>f11photo / Getty Images/iStockphoto30. Utah -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $149,873</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $74,936</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $8,853</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $15,845</p>
<p>Lightguard / Getty Images/iStockphoto29. Montana -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $149,164</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $74,582</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $9,179</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $13,502</p>
<p>ferrantraite / Getty Images28. Virginia -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $147,055</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $73,527</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $9,025</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $11,948</p>
<p>Sean Pavone / Getty Images/iStockphoto27. Ohio -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $145,533</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $72,767</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $8,961</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $6,871</p>
<p>Discover More: Here's the Cost of Living in Every State</p>
<p>Kruck20 / iStock.com26. Florida -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $143,700</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $71,850</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $9,532</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $12,148</p>
<p>Pgiam / Getty Images25. Illinois -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $143,153</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $71,576</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $8,889</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $8,121</p>
<p>DenisTangneyJr / iStock.com24. Pennsylvania -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $138,994</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $69,497</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $8,989</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $7,987</p>
<p>MidwestWilderness / Getty Images/iStockphoto23. Nebraska -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $137,818</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $68,909</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $8,989</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $7,722</p>
<p>christiannafzger / Getty Images/iStockphoto22. Idaho -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $135,607</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $67,804</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $9,387</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $13,566</p>
<p>Explore This: Here's How Much You Need To Earn To Be 'Rich' in Every State</p>
<p>Sean Pavone / Getty Images/iStockphoto21. New Mexico -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $135,259</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $67,629</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $8,735</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $9,077</p>
<p>ferrantraite / iStock.com20. Georgia -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $134,993</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $67,497</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $8,816</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $9,808</p>
<p>Sean Pavone / Getty Images/iStockphoto19. Indiana -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $133,155</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $66,578</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $8,816</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $7,148</p>
<p>Kruck20 / Getty Images/iStockphoto18. South Carolina -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $132,681</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $66,340</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $8,998</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $8,882</p>
<p>YinYang / Getty Images17. North Dakota -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $132,340</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $66,170</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $8,608</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $8,067</p>
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<p>Wirestock / iStock.com16. North Carolina -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $130,518</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $65,259</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $8,916</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $9,847</p>
<p>Art Wager / iStock.com15. Missouri -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $129,476</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $64,738</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $8,699</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $7,401</p>
<p>RoschetzkyIstockPhoto / Getty Images14. Texas -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $129,026</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $64,513</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $8,708</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $8,998</p>
<p>stockphoto52 / Getty Images/iStockphoto13. Wyoming -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $128,406</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $64,203</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $9,088</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $10,477</p>
<p>Davel5957 / Getty Images12. Oklahoma -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $127,100</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $63,550</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $8,644</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $6,159</p>
<p>For You: How Much You Need To Earn To Be Upper Middle Class in Every State</p>
<p>Sean Pavone / iStock.com11. Tennessee -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $127,028</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $63,514</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $8,798</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $9,540</p>
<p>Sean Pavone / Getty Images/iStockphoto10. Michigan -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $122,509</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $61,255</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $8,98</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $7,190</p>
<p>DenisTangneyJr / iStock.com9. South Dakota -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $121,181</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $60,591</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $8,834</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $9,061</p>
<p>pabradyphoto / Getty Images8. Iowa -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $118,611</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $59,306</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $8,753</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $6,563</p>
<p>Sean Pavone / Getty Images/iStockphoto7. West Virginia -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $117,788</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $58,894</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $8,970</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $4,896</p>
<p>Even More: How Far $1.5 Million in Retirement Savings Plus Social Security Goes in Every State</p>
<p>hstiver / Getty Images/iStockphoto6. Kentucky -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $116,613</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $58,306</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $9,043</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $6,262</p>
<p>Sean Pavone / Getty Images/iStockphoto5. Kansas -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $115,895</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $57,947</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $8,590</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $6,762</p>
<p>Larry Gibson / iStock.com4. Louisiana -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $113,783</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $56,892</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $8,708</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $5,943</p>
<p>Sean Pavone / Getty Images/iStockphoto3. Arkansas -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $111,758</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $55,879</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $8,626</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $6,262</p>
<p>Michael Warren / Getty Images2. Alabama -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $111,534</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $55,767</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $8,807</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $6,674</p>
<p>SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images/iStockphoto1. Mississippi -</p>
<p>True cost of the American dream: $104,948</p>
<p>Total annual cost: $52,474</p>
<p>Grocery cost per year: $8,726</p>
<p>Annual mortgage: $5,308</p>
<p>Sean Dennison contributed to this article.</p>
<p>Methodology: The American Dream for this study is defined as a married couple who own a home and a car, have two children and a pet. The data included was sourced from the U.S. Census American Community Survey, the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center, the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey, Zillow Home Value Index, the Federal Reserve, ASPCA's Annual Pet Costs, the Economic Policy Institute's Childcare Costs by State. Using the 50/30/20 financial rule that states that needs should not exceed 50% of household income, the total cost of living was doubled to find the income needed to live the American Dream. The states were sorted to show the most income needed first. All data is up to date as of April 17, 2025.</p>
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<p>This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: How Much Does the American Dream Cost in Your State?</p>
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