Top States For Business 2012

The Most Expensive States to Live in 2012

The Most Expensive States To Live

You won’t get more for your money in these ten states. With the launch of CNBC's sixth annual edition of "America's Top States For Business," we decided to take a look at the cost of a variety of items in the nation's 10 most expensive states. In the CNBC study, states are ranked using a 50-point scale—the lower the score, the higher the cost of living, and vice versa. Interestingly enough, some of the states with the highest cost of living also had some of the highest scores in the quality-of-l
Photo: ACCRA Cost of Living Index

You won’t get more for your money in these 10 states.

With the launch of CNBC's sixth-annual edition of "America's Top States For Business," we decided to take a look at the cost of a variety of items in the nation's 10 most expensive states. In the CNBC study, states are ranked using a 50-point scale—the lower the score, the higher the cost of living, and vice versa.

Interestingly enough, some of the states with the highest cost of living also had some of the highest scores in the quality-of-life category, so maybe you do get what you pay for.

Nevertheless, only one of 10 states in the slides ahead managed to rank among the top 10 overall in this year’s Top States for Business. Cost of living may not be among the top criteria for a business, but it can be a big consideration for employees in the state.

To cover as much ground as possible, we included the average cost of one item related to housing, transportation, health, food and entertainment — single-family home, movie-theatre ticket, residential rent, doctor’s visit, gallon of gasoline and even a T-bone steak — in the most expensive metropolitan areas of each of the 10 states. Data are from the ACCRA Cost of Living Index,based on average prices from Q1 2011-Q1 2012.

So, which states have the highest cost of living? Click ahead to find out!

By Paul Toscano & Morgan Giordano
Posted 10 July 2012


Note: Though there is a high correlation with this basket of goods and the CNBC's cost-of-living rankings, the items and prices listed are not the same as those used in the ACCRA index.

10. Massachusetts

Most expensive metro area: Framingham-Natick House: $534,420 Movie ticket: $10.77 Rent: $1,450 Doctor visit: $145.33 Gallon of gas: $3.503 T-bone steak: $9.61
Photo: Mark Belanger | Wikipedia

Most expensive area: Framingham-Natick

House: $534,420
Movie ticket: $10.77
Rent: $1,450
Doctor visit: $145.33
Gallon of gas: $3.503
T-bone steak: $9.61

Pictured: Natick, MA

9. Vermont

Most expensive: Burlington-Chittenden House: $394,512 Movie ticket: $9.19 Rent: $1,354 Doctor visit: $102.50 Gallon of gas: $3.494 T-bone steak: $8.75
Photo: Walter Bibikow | AWL Images | Getty Images

Most expensive area: Burlington-Chittenden

House: $394,512
Movie ticket: $9.19
Rent: $1,354
Doctor visit: $102.50
Gallon of gas: $3.494
T-bone steak: $8.75

Pictured: Burlington, VT

8. Maryland

Most expensive metro area: Bethesda-Gaithersburg-Frederick House: $534,832Movie ticket: $10.86Rent: $1,577 Doctor visit: $87.98 Gallon of gas: $3.625 T-bone steak: $10.28
Photo: Superstock | Photodisc | Getty Images

Most expensive area: Bethesda-Gaithersburg-Frederick

House: $534,832
Movie ticket: $10.86
Rent: $1,577
Doctor visit: $87.98
Gallon of gas: $3.625
T-bone steak: $10.28

Pictured: Downtown Bethesda

7. Rhode Island

Most expensive metro area: Providence House: $359,282 Movie ticket: $10.85 Rent: $1,375 Doctor visit: $149.00 Gallon of gas: $3.606 T-bone steak: $10.51
Photo: Denis Tangney Jr. | Photodisc | Getty Images

Most expensive area: Providence

House: $359,282
Movie ticket: $10.85
Rent: $1,375
Doctor visit: $149.00
Gallon of gas: $3.606
T-bone steak: $10.51

Pictured: Downtown Providence

6. New Jersey

Most expensive: Bergen-Passaic House: $497,759 Movie ticket: $10.86 Rent: $1,631 Doctor visit: $83.24 Gallon of gas: $3.449 T-bone steak: $9.91
Photo: KForce | Wikipedia

Most expensive area: Bergen-Passaic

House: $497,759
Movie ticket: $10.86
Rent: $1,631
Doctor visit: $83.24
Gallon of gas: $3.449
T-bone steak: $9.91

Pictured: Bergen County Court House

5. California

Most expensive: San Francisco House: $799,988 Movie ticket: $10.81 Rent: $2,524 Doctor visit: $121.27 Gallon of gas: $3.741 T-bone steak: $10.25
Photo: Getty Images

Most expensive area: San Francisco

House: $799,988
Movie ticket: $10.81
Rent: $2,524
Doctor visit: $121.27
Gallon of gas: $3.741
T-bone steak: $10.25

Pictured: The Golden Gate Bridge

4. New York

Most expensive: New York (Manhattan) House: $1,215,129 Movie ticket: $13.06 Rent: $3,378 Doctor visit: $140.40 Gallon of gas: $3.884 T-bone steak: $14.25
Photo: Getty Images

Most expensive area: New York (Manhattan)

House: $1,215,129
Movie ticket: $13.06
Rent: $3,378
Doctor visit: $140.40
Gallon of gas: $3.884
T-bone steak: $14.25

Pictured: Times Square

3. Connecticut

Most expensive: Stamford House: $568,945 Movie ticket: $10.38 Rent: $1,993 Doctor visit: $116.74 Gallon of gas: $3.845 T-bone steak: $10.82
Photo: Noroton | Wikipedia

Most expensive area: Stamford

House: $568,945
Movie ticket: $10.38
Rent: $1,993
Doctor visit: $116.74
Gallon of gas: $3.845
T-bone steak: $10.82

Pictured: Stamford Metro North Train Station

2. Alaska

Most expensive metro area: Juneau House: $493,167 Movie ticket: $10.50 Rent: $1,437 Doctor visit: $156.42 Gallon of gas: $3.941 T-bone steak: $10.64
Photo: Jeff Greenberg | Photolibrary | Getty Images

Most expensive area: Juneau

House: $493,167
Movie ticket: $10.50
Rent: $1,437
Doctor visit: $156.42
Gallon of gas: $3.941
T-bone steak: $10.64

Pictured: Downtown Juneau

1. Hawaii

Most expensive: Honolulu House: $659,530 Movie ticket: $10.31 Rent: $2,658 Doctor visit: $129.13 Gallon of gas: $3.987 T-bone steak: $7.80
Photo: Glowimages | Getty Images

Most expensive: Honolulu

House: $659,530
Movie ticket: $10.31
Rent: $2,658
Doctor visit: $129.13
Gallon of gas: $3.987
T-bone steak: $7.80

Pictured: Downtown Honolulu