West Virginia Tops 2026 List as Cheapest State to Live
CNBC’s 2026 ranking of America’s Top States for Business highlights cost of living, housing affordability, and insurance costs, naming West Virginia the cheapest state to live in, with Missouri, Ohio, Kansas, Iowa, Indiana, Wyoming, South Dakota, Alabama, and North Dakota also among the most affordable. The analysis uses the Cost of Living index, rent as a share of income, home prices, and typical monthly expenses like energy and groceries to show how affordability varies by state.