Massachusetts Has Most Expensive Groceries in New England

As anyone who buys food knows, the cost of groceries has gone way up in recent years.

Though inflation itself slowed in the U.S. during 2023, food prices are still up and the cost to fill the average American household's refrigerator is at an all-time high.

Those in Massachusetts may be very aware of this fact since the Bay State is the most expensive place to shop for groceries in all of New England and one of just two states in the entire Northeast with weekly shopping costs above the national average.

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New research from HelpAdvisor.com calculates the amount spent on groceries per week in the average American household to be $270.21. That's about $1,080.00 per month on food shopping.

In Massachusetts, the weekly average is slightly higher at $271.98.

While that may not be bad compared to the $297.72 paid in California, the most expensive state, it does rank Massachusetts 14th for pricey grocery shopping and most expensive for all of New England.

Bay Staters pay $6 more per week on food than the next New England state on the list, Connecticut. Their average of $265.90 per week ranked the state No. 22 overall.

Though $6 a week may not seem like a lot, throughout the year, folks in Massachusetts spend at least $312 more on food shopping than others in New England.

Add to that the fact that Massachusetts has some of the most expensive rents and some of the most expensive childcare costs and it's no surprise this is one of the costliest states to call home.

Perhaps driving over state lines to Rhode Island, where groceries average $255.86 per week or, better yet, New Hampshire, where groceries are just $239.33 per week would be worth the trip?