Businesses use the cost of living as a main factor in deciding where to conduct their business. CNBC ranked “America’s Top States for Business” using the cost of living index. The lower the cost of living, the higher the overall score.
Here are America’s top 10 least expensive states to live in as ranked by CNBC, as well as a sampling of the prices you’ll pay for some basics in the most expensive area of the state.
The data mainly comes from average price data based on “Council for Community and Economic Research C2ER Cost of Living Index, Q1 2013.”
You can see that report here:>
The council has developed a county-level cost of living index for the United States based on an econometric model that identifies key determinants of an area’s cost of living. Here is a map based on the average cost of living per county in the U.S.
10. MISSISSIPPI Average Home Price (Jackson Metro): $248,167 Half Gallon of Milk: $2.51 T-Bone Steak: $10.44Monthly Energy Bill: $123.09Doctor Visit: $80.502013 Cost of Living Rank: 10th CheapestPhoto: Ken Lund 
9. TEXAS Average Home Price (Houston Metro): $239,040 Half Gallon of Milk: $2.22 T-Bone Steak: $10.03 Monthly Energy Bill: $151.58 Doctor Visit: $94.70 2013 Cost of Living Rank: 9th Cheapest Photo by NW Butterfly 
7. KANSAS (*TIE) Average Home Price (Dodge City Metro): $261,000 Half Gallon of Milk: $2.49 T-Bone Steak: $9.50 Monthly Energy Bill: $141.01 Doctor Visit: $90.00* 2013 Cost of Living Rank: 7th Cheapest Photo by Frank Monaldo 
ARKANSAS Average Home Price (Little Rock Metro): $301,250 Half Gallon of Milk: $2.26 T-Bone Steak: $10.84 Monthly Energy Bill: $134.64 Doctor Visit: $100.50* 2013 Cost of Living Rank: 7th Cheapest Photo by Rachel Cramer 
6. INDIANA Average Home Price (Fort Wayne Metro): $284,543 Half Gallon of Milk: $1.94 T-Bone Steak: $11.19 Monthly Energy Bill: $114.72 Doctor Visit: $86.33 2013 Cost of Living Rank: 6th Cheapest Photo by Paula Henry 
5. NEBRASKA Average Home Price (Hastings Metro): $263,000 Half Gallon of Milk: $1.98 T-Bone Steak: $10.99 Monthly Energy Bill: $127.26Doctor Visit: $71.33 2013 Cost of Living Rank: 5th Cheapest Photo by Todd Bartusek 
3. KENTUCKY (*TIE) Average Home Price (Louisville Metro): $232,139 Half Gallon of Milk: $1.96 T-Bone Steak: $8.99 Monthly Energy Bill: $123.43 Doctor Visit: $86.10* 2013 Cost of Living Rank: 3rd Cheapest Photo by James Thompson 
3. IDAHO (*TIE) Average Home Price (Boise Metro): $256,124 Half Gallon of Milk: $1.74 T-Bone Steak: $9.48 Monthly Energy Bill: $146.59 Doctor Visit: $118.33* 2013 Cost of Living Rank: 3rd Cheapest Photo by Caribou Creek Log Homes 
2. TENNESSEE Average Home Price (Jackson-Madison County Metro): $211,238 Half Gallon of Milk: $2.64 T-Bone Steak: $8.66 Monthly Energy Bill: $145.98 Doctor Visit: $95.00 2013 Cost of Living Rank: 2nd Cheapest 2013 Cost of Living Score: 49 (out of 50)2012 Cost of Living Rank: 2nd Cheapest Photo by Prattliving 
1. OKLAHOMA Average Home Price (Ponca City Metro): $265,154 Half Gallon of Milk: $2.33 T-Bone Steak: $10.22 Monthly Energy Bill: $149.78 Doctor Visit: $78.33 2013 Cost of Living Rank: Cheapest2013 Cost of Living Score 50 (out of 50) 2012 Cost of Living Rank: Cheapest Photo by Gardening in a Minute
