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(NEXSTAR) – Despite President Trump’s assertion on social media that “the USA is Rockin’, there is VERY LOW INFLATION,” many Americans still face challenges related to the rising cost of living, particularly in certain states, as highlighted in a recent CNBC study.
Although inflation has eased in numerous states since peaking during the pandemic, it saw an increase in June and remains a significant concern in other regions.
“Once inflation becomes entrenched in an economy, it is notoriously difficult to eliminate,” the report stated. “Just as Federal Reserve policymakers thought they were overcoming the post-pandemic inflation affecting the U.S. economy, new challenges like the threat of tariffs emerged.”
To determine which states are most expensive in 2025, CNBC relied on prices indexed by the Council for Community and Economic Research, as well as data that captured housing affordability and the rising cost of insurance.
5. Oregon

The Beaver State landed high on the list thanks in large part to the cost of housing. The amount of money going to mortgages and rent takes up over 30% of household income for a third of residents, according to the study.
On top of that, the study’s author notes that a loaf of bread costs 12% more in Portland, Oregon than in Portland, Maine.
A 2025 cost of living index by the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC) found that Oregonians paid more for groceries than residents of all but six states and Puerto Rico.
4. Colorado

Like so many western states, the cost of home insurance is skyrocketing – and getting increasingly hard to obtain, in some cases – amid devastating wildfires and other natural disasters.
“We’re on a collision course with escalating market conditions, where everything that insurance pays for is going up in price,” Carole Walker, with the Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association, told Nexstar’s KDVR last year. “Insurance premiums are on the rise nationally, but unfortunately, in Colorado, we really are in that tipping point where we’re seeing some of the fastest rising rates.”
3. Florida

Long-seen as an ideal destination for retirees with fixed incomes, some may be surprised to find the Sunshine State so high on the list. Similar to Colorado, the increasing frequency and devastation from hurricanes has led to what the author calls “the worst homeowners insurance crisis in the country.”
Unfortunately for Floridians, whopping insurance rates – along with policy cancellations – combine with some of the least affordable properties in the country, CNBC reports.
2. Hawaii

Living roughly 2,400 miles from mainland U.S. means accepting a consequential tradeoff. Waking up to paradisiacal views and stunning beaches is offset by shocking costs at the grocery store, optometrist and elsewhere.
Despite the high cost of goods, CNBC notes that the Aloha State has not yet been battered by the insurance crisis so many other states are struggling with.
1. California

Blessed with a stunning coastline, some of the finest national parks in the country and (mostly) idyllic weather, California has a lot going for it. One thing the Golden State isn’t known for, however, is affordability.
Prone to devastating wildfires, like the deadly blazes that ripped through Los Angeles county in January, retaining – and signing up for – affordable home insurance has become a daunting challenge for residents in some parts of the state.
Home prices are also some of the highest in the nation, with the median price of a single family home surpassing $900,000 statewide earlier this year, according to Nexstar’s KTLA.
Rounding out the top 12 were New York, Massachusetts, Maryland, Washington, Texas, Louisiana and Arizona. See the full study for more on what is driving up the cost of living in those states.