Oklahoma ranks among most affordable states to live

Oklahoma continues to rank among the most affordable places to live in the United States, landing in the No. 4 spot for lowest cost of living, according to a recent Visual Capitalist article using data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. 

The ranking highlights a trend seen across the southern U.S., where everyday expenses like groceries, rent, energy bills and fuel remain lower than in other regions. Oklahoma's cost of living came in lower than several Midwest states, including Iowa, North Dakota and Nebraska. 

At the center of the ranking is a metric called regional price parity, which compares prices for goods and services across all 50 states to the national average. The U.S. index is set at 100. States with scores below that number are considered less expensive. 

Oklahoma’s regional price parity score was 88, placing it well below the national average and making it one of the most budget-friendly states in the country. Arkansas ranked as the least expensive state with a parity score of 87, followed by Mississippi, South Dakota and then Oklahoma. 

In contrast, California was named the most expensive state in the country, with a regional price parity score of 113. Washington, D.C., followed with a score of 111, driven largely by housing costs. 

For more details, you can view the full article, “Mapped: The Most and Least Expensive U.S. States in America,” at Visual Capitalist.