Buying a house is the American dream, but maintaining that property in good shape can be challenging for homeowners.
This map, via Visual Capitalist, shows the 15 most expensive states in the U.S. to maintain a single-family home.
Methodology: Bankrate aggregated the average costs of property taxes, homeowners insurance, and home maintenance costs (estimated at 2% per year of the value of a single-family home). Calculations also included energy, internet, and cable bills. All figures adjusted for inflation as of June 2024.
Hawaii is the Most Expensive State to Maintain a Home
The average annual cost of owning and maintaining a single-family home in the U.S. is more than $18,000 yearly, a 26% increase compared to 2020.
With an average annual cost of $29,015, Hawaii is the most expensive state to maintain a home.
California comes in second with an average annual ownership cost of $28,790, followed by Massachusetts with $26,313.
Property taxes in New Jersey average $10,026 annually, the highest in the nation.
States with the Least Expensive Homeownership Costs
Kentucky is the least expensive place to own a home, with an average annual cost of $11,559, followed by Arkansas ($11,692) and Mississippi ($11,881).
If you enjoyed this post, be sure to check out this graphic, which shows what you need to earn to own a home in 50 American cities.
