Exploring the cost of cigarette prices by state can give you a better understanding of how different factors influence the price of common goods throughout the US. While vaping and other nicotine products have grown increasingly popular in recent years, cigarettes are still common in the US.
According to one report, in 2021, annual cigarette sales increased for the first time in 20 years between 2019 and 2020. However, the price you pay for a pack of cigarettes can vary based on multiple factors (from number of smokers to individual credit card debt to overall economic state). The price of cigarettes by state in New York, for instance, is more than double the price for cigarettes in Missouri.
What Affects the Cost of Cigarettes by State?
According to the World Population Review, the average price for a pack of cigarettes in the USA is around $8 ($7.93). However, cigarette costs by state can vary drastically for a number of reasons.
First, the brand of cigarette you choose will influence how much you pay for the product. Plus, the store you choose to buy from can be a factor too. Some stores increase the price of their products to increase their profits. The most significant reason for the variation in average cigarette prices by state is that different regions place different state taxes on cigarettes.
Taxes account for around 44.3% of the total price of a cigarette pack’s retail price. As of 2022, for instance, New York has a state tax of $4.35 for cigarettes. Alternatively, the state tax in Missouri is only around $0.17, making it the state with the cheapest cigarettes.
Cigarette Costs by State: A Complete List
Overall, cigarette carton prices by state are increasing on an international level. The World Population Review notes that the average price of a pack has increased by around $1.50 since 2018. However, certain states are still more expensive than others.
Roughly half of all the states in the US have increased their local tax rate on cigarettes since 2012. Additionally, in 2021, federal proposals were implemented to increase the tax rates even more.
Here’s a quick overview to the average price of cigarettes by state:
State | Total Cigarette Tax | Average Retail Price |
New York | $4.35 | $11.96 |
Rhode Island | $4.25 | $11.71 |
Connecticut | $4.35 | $11.60 |
Massachusetts | $3.51 | $11.11 |
Minnesota | $3.04 | $10.49 |
Alaska | $2.00 | $10.46 |
Hawaii | $3.20 | $10.41 |
Maryland | $3.75 | $10.26 |
Illinois | $2.98 | $10.16 |
Washington | $3.03 | $10.14 |
Vermont | $3.08 | $10.12 |
California | $2.87 | $9.63 |
Pennsylvania | $2.60 | $9.54 |
Oregon | $3.33 | $9.37 |
New Jersey | $2.70 | $9.22 |
Wisconsin | $2.52 | $8.85 |
Maine | $2.00 | $8.58 |
Arizona | $2.00 | $8.55 |
New Mexico | $2.00 | $8.47 |
Utah | $1.70 | $8.33 |
Michigan | $2.00 | $8.27 |
Nevada | $1.80 | $8.27 |
Colorado | $1.94 | $7.99 |
South Dakota | $1.53 | $7.99 |
Ohio | $1.60 | $7.93 |
Oklahoma | $2.03 | $7.93 |
Delaware | $2.10 | $7.80 |
Montana | $1.70 | $7.77 |
New Hampshire | $1.78 | $7.73 |
Florida | $1.34 | $7.63 |
Texas | $1.41 | $7.62 |
Kansas | $1.29 | $7.49 |
Arkansas | $1.15 | $7.43 |
Iowa | $1.36 | $7.43 |
West Virginia | $1.20 | $7.33 |
Virginia | $0.60 | $7.23 |
Indiana | $1.00 | $7.12 |
Louisiana | $1.08 | $7.00 |
Tennessee | $0.62 | $6.94 |
Kentucky | $1.10 | $6.93 |
Alabama | $0.68 | $6.85 |
Wyoming | $0.60 | $6.85 |
Nebraska | $0.64 | $6.84 |
South Carolina | $0.57 | $6.82 |
Idaho | $0.57 | $6.79 |
Mississippi | $0.68 | $6.78 |
North Carolina | $0.45 | $6.58 |
North Dakota | $0.44 | $6.55 |
Georgia | $0.37 | $6.39 |
Missouri | $0.17 | $6.11 |
Exploring Cigarette Price by State
Notably, high cigarette prices seem to be concentrated in states located throughout the Northern region, such as Washington DC and New York, as well as Rhode Island, and Connecticut in the Mid Atlantic Region. Non-Contiguous states also have some of the highest cigarette prices.
Alternatively, the cheapest cigarettes by state typically come from Southern and Great Plains regions, where the cost typically falls below the national average.
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