Car Affordability by State
What car can you actually afford based on where you live? We calculated safe car budgets for all 50 US states using median household incomes and the 20/4/10 rule.
In zero out of 50 states can a median-income family safely afford the average $48,000 new car. Select your state below for a detailed affordability breakdown, local costs, and vehicle recommendations.
Browse by State
All 50 States Ranked by Car Affordability
Ranked by how close the safe car budget comes to the average new car price ($48,000). #1 = smallest gap (most affordable).
| # | State | Safe Budget | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maryland | $28,141 | 41% |
| 2 | New Jersey | $27,703 | 42% |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $27,499 | 43% |
| 4 | Hawaii | $26,944 | 44% |
| 5 | California | $25,872 | 46% |
| 6 | Connecticut | $25,433 | 47% |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $25,640 | 47% |
| 8 | Washington | $25,469 | 47% |
| 9 | Colorado | $24,574 | 49% |
| 10 | Utah | $24,322 | 49% |
| 11 | Virginia | $24,459 | 49% |
| 12 | Alaska | $24,170 | 50% |
| 13 | Minnesota | $23,495 | 51% |
| 14 | Oregon | $20,884 | 56% |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $20,933 | 56% |
| 16 | Delaware | $20,548 | 57% |
| 17 | New York | $20,735 | 57% |
| 18 | Illinois | $20,182 | 58% |
| 19 | North Dakota | $20,095 | 58% |
| 20 | Wyoming | $20,102 | 58% |
| 21 | Arizona | $19,642 | 59% |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | $19,675 | 59% |
| 23 | Texas | $19,791 | 59% |
| 24 | Vermont | $19,593 | 59% |
| 25 | Wisconsin | $19,602 | 59% |
| 26 | Nebraska | $19,198 | 60% |
| 27 | Idaho | $18,529 | 61% |
| 28 | Kansas | $18,711 | 61% |
| 29 | Florida | $18,110 | 62% |
| 30 | Georgia | $18,049 | 62% |
| 31 | Iowa | $18,373 | 62% |
| 32 | Maine | $18,220 | 62% |
| 33 | Nevada | $18,295 | 62% |
| 34 | South Dakota | $18,340 | 62% |
| 35 | Michigan | $17,805 | 63% |
| 36 | Montana | $17,593 | 63% |
| 37 | North Carolina | $17,064 | 64% |
| 38 | Indiana | $16,892 | 65% |
| 39 | Missouri | $16,682 | 65% |
| 40 | Tennessee | $16,607 | 65% |
| 41 | Ohio | $16,526 | 66% |
| 42 | South Carolina | $16,092 | 66% |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $15,958 | 67% |
| 44 | Kentucky | $14,660 | 69% |
| 45 | Alabama | $14,509 | 70% |
| 46 | New Mexico | $14,287 | 70% |
| 47 | Louisiana | $13,845 | 71% |
| 48 | Arkansas | $13,056 | 73% |
| 49 | West Virginia | $12,752 | 73% |
| 50 | Mississippi | $11,770 | 75% |
Income data: U.S. Census Bureau ACS estimates (2024 vintage). Calculations use the 20/4/10 rule with 6.5% APR, 48-month loan, $5,000 down payment, 7% sales tax, $150/mo insurance, $75/mo maintenance.
How We Calculate State Affordability
Each state page uses the median household income from the U.S. Census Bureau and applies the 20/4/10 rule:
- 20% down payment: Put at least 20% down to reduce your loan amount
- 4-year loan maximum: Finance for no more than 48 months to minimize interest
- 10% of gross income: Keep total car costs under 10% of your gross monthly income
State pages also show local costs like average insurance premiums, registration fees, gas prices, and sales tax rates that affect real-world car ownership costs in your state.
Want to see results based on your actual income instead of the state median?