How much do WA residents spend on groceries? It’s more than most states
Washington is one of the most expensive states in the country. But how do prices compare when you factor in the state’s relatively high average household income?
A new study from loan marketplace LendingTree ranked each state by how much the average household spends on groceries in a year, measured both by total amount and as a percentage of the average household income.
Here’s where Washington ranks.
How much do WA households spend on groceries?
With the average household spending $10,202 a year on groceries, Washington ranked No. 6 in the country. That was 24.9% above the national average, which was just above $8,100.
Washington wasn’t the only state in the northwest to make the list – Idaho came in at No. 5 while Alaska ranked No. 2. In fact, the top nine states on the list were all in the western U.S.
However, when you look at grocery spending as a percentage of the statewide average household income, Washingtonians fared much better. Average household grocery spending accounted for 7.9% of Washington’s average household income, the 23rd-highest proportion in the country.
Most expensive U.S. groceries
The study also looked at the items contributing most to rising grocery prices. Using U.S. Department of Agriculture data, LendingTree found that Hass avocados had the highest price increase of any non-organic produce item between January 2024 and January 2025, followed by collard greens and salad mix.
Among organic produce, mini sweet peppers saw the highest price jump, along with gala apples and navel oranges.
As for the items with the highest mark-up for organic produce, iceberg lettuce took the top spot, followed by Brussels sprouts and Granny Smith apples.
How grocery price study was conducted
According to LendingTree, the study was conducted primarily by using USDA and U.S. Census Bureau data. The prices of individual items were taken from USDA price reports in late January, while the state-by-state household spending and income figures were determined using five-year rolling averages from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Is WA struggling with grocery prices?
According to the USDA, grocery prices rose by 1.2% in 2024. While that figure is relatively low, it comes after the U.S. saw an 11.4% grocery price increase in 2022 and a 5% increase the following year.
Earlier this year, a survey conducted by the University of Washington, Washington State University and Washington State Department of Agriculture found that low-income Washingtonians are more concerned about affording groceries more than any other expense.