Economy

$1 Is Worth 86 Cents in Hawaii, Less Than Any Other State

Douglas A. McIntyre

Published: May 14, 2016 9:40 am

Last Updated: January 13, 2020 8:04 am

The cost of a home, food, transportation, fuel and clothing. The total of these state to state, particularly when income is taken into account, vary widely, making $1 stretch much more or less, depending on location. In Hawaii, the value of $1, based on the national average, is worth only $0.86. The state also has a median household income of $69,592, the fifth highest among the states. And the poverty rate in Hawaii is 11.4%, the seventh lowest.

In its “The Value of a Dollar in Every State,” 24/7 Wall St. ranked the states on “the national average cost of goods and services.” Hawaii had the lowest dollar comparison and Mississippi the highest at $1.15.

A look at the analysis, starting with the top and bottom:

50. Hawaii
> Value of a dollar: $0.86
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +9.3% (8th largest)
> Median household income: $69,592 (5th highest)
> Poverty rate: 11.4% (7th lowest)

And:

1. Mississippi
> Value of a dollar: $1.15
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +7.0% (16th smallest)
> Median household income: $39,680 (the lowest)
> Poverty rate: 21.5% (the highest)

The full rankings of the value of a dollar in all 50 is as follows:

50. Hawaii
> Value of a dollar: $0.86
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +9.3% (8th largest)
> Median household income: $69,592 (5th highest)
> Poverty rate: 11.4% (7th lowest)

49. New York
> Value of a dollar: $0.87
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +7.3% (25th smallest)
> Median household income: $58,878 (16th highest)
> Poverty rate: 15.9% (19th highest)

48. New Jersey
> Value of a dollar: $0.87
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +6.0% (7th smallest)
> Median household income: $71,919 (2nd highest)
> Poverty rate: 11.1% (4th lowest)

47. California
> Value of a dollar: $0.89
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +8.3% (14th largest)
> Median household income: $61,933 (9th highest)
> Poverty rate: 16.4% (17th highest)

46. Maryland
> Value of a dollar: $0.90
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +6.9% (15th smallest)
> Median household income: $73,971 (the highest)
> Poverty rate: 10.1% (2nd lowest)

45. Connecticut
> Value of a dollar: $0.92
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +9.7% (5th largest)
> Median household income: $70,048 (4th highest)
> Poverty rate: 10.8% (3rd lowest)

44. Massachusetts
> Value of a dollar: $0.93
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +8.5% (12th largest)
> Median household income: $69,160 (6th highest)
> Poverty rate: 11.6% (10th lowest)

43. Alaska
> Value of a dollar: $0.94
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +8.4% (13th largest)
> Median household income: $71,583 (3rd highest)
> Poverty rate: 11.2% (6th lowest)

42. New Hampshire
> Value of a dollar: $0.94
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +8.8% (10th largest)
> Median household income: $66,532 (7th highest)
> Poverty rate: 9.2% (the lowest)

41. Washington
> Value of a dollar: $0.97
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +7.5% (23rd largest)
> Median household income: $61,366 (11th highest)
> Poverty rate: 13.2% (19th lowest)

40. Virginia
> Value of a dollar: $0.97
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +7.3% (24th smallest)
> Median household income: $64,902 (8th highest)
> Poverty rate: 11.8% (12th lowest)

39. Colorado
> Value of a dollar: $0.98
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +5.6% (3rd smallest)
> Median household income: $61,303 (12th highest)
> Poverty rate: 12.0% (13th lowest)

24/7 Wall St.
America’s Richest (and Poorest) Towns

38. Delaware
> Value of a dollar: $0.99
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +8.1% (16th largest)
> Median household income: $59,716 (14th highest)
> Poverty rate: 12.5% (17th lowest)

37. Illinois
> Value of a dollar: $0.99
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +6.7% (11th smallest)
> Median household income: $57,444 (17th highest)
> Poverty rate: 14.4% (25th lowest)

36. Vermont
> Value of a dollar: $1.00
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +7.7% (21st largest)
> Median household income: $54,166 (20th highest)
> Poverty rate: 12.2% (15th lowest)

35. Florida
> Value of a dollar: $1.01
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +9.7% (6th largest)
> Median household income: $47,463 (12th lowest)
> Poverty rate: 16.5% (16th highest)

34. Oregon
> Value of a dollar: $1.01
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +7.1% (19th smallest)
> Median household income: $51,075 (23rd lowest)
> Poverty rate: 16.6% (14th highest)

24/7 Wall St.
States Where the Most People Work for the Government

33. Pennsylvania
> Value of a dollar: $1.01
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +7.1% (18th smallest)
> Median household income: $53,234 (22nd highest)
> Poverty rate: 13.6% (21st lowest)

32. Nevada
> Value of a dollar: $1.02
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +10.3% (2nd largest)
> Median household income: $51,450 (24th lowest)
> Poverty rate: 15.2% (23rd highest)

31. Rhode Island
> Value of a dollar: $1.02
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +9.8% (4th largest)
> Median household income: $54,891 (19th highest)
> Poverty rate: 14.3% (24th lowest)

30. Maine
> Value of a dollar: $1.02
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +7.8% (20th largest)
> Median household income: $49,462 (19th lowest)
> Poverty rate: 14.1% (22nd lowest)

29. Minnesota
> Value of a dollar: $1.02
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +7.3% (23rd smallest)
> Median household income: $61,481 (10th highest)
> Poverty rate: 11.5% (9th lowest)

28. Utah
> Value of a dollar: $1.03
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +7.1% (17th smallest)
> Median household income: $60,922 (13th highest)
> Poverty rate: 11.7% (11th lowest)

27. Arizona
> Value of a dollar: $1.03
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +11.4% (the largest)
> Median household income: $50,068 (21st lowest)
> Poverty rate: 18.2% (10th highest)

24/7 Wall St.
States Where Incomes Are Booming (or Not)

26. Texas
> Value of a dollar: $1.03
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +7.3% (22nd smallest)
> Median household income: $53,035 (23rd highest)
> Poverty rate: 17.2% (12th highest)

25. Wyoming
> Value of a dollar: $1.04
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +7.8% (19th largest)
> Median household income: $57,055 (18th highest)
> Poverty rate: 11.2% (6th lowest)

24. New Mexico
> Value of a dollar: $1.05
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +6.8% (13th smallest)
> Median household income: $44,803 (8th lowest)
> Poverty rate: 21.3% (2nd highest)

23. Montana
> Value of a dollar: $1.06
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +8.5% (11th largest)
> Median household income: $46,328 (10th lowest)
> Poverty rate: 15.4% (22nd highest)

22. Michigan
> Value of a dollar: $1.06
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +8.9% (9th largest)
> Median household income: $49,847 (20th lowest)
> Poverty rate: 16.2% (18th highest)

24/7 Wall St.
Counties Going Hungry in Every State

21. Wisconsin
> Value of a dollar: $1.08
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +7.6% (22nd largest)
> Median household income: $52,622 (25th highest)
> Poverty rate: 13.2% (19th lowest)

20. Idaho
> Value of a dollar: $1.08
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +10.3% (3rd largest)
> Median household income: $47,861 (14th lowest)
> Poverty rate: 14.8% (25th highest)

19. Georgia
> Value of a dollar: $1.09
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +9.4% (7th largest)
> Median household income: $49,321 (17th lowest)
> Poverty rate: 18.3% (7th highest)

18. North Carolina
> Value of a dollar: $1.09
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +7.9% (18th largest)
> Median household income: $46,556 (11th lowest)
> Poverty rate: 17.2% (12th highest)

17. North Dakota
> Value of a dollar: $1.09
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +4.1% (the smallest)
> Median household income: $59,029 (15th highest)
> Poverty rate: 11.5% (9th lowest)

16. Indiana
> Value of a dollar: $1.09
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +7.3% (21st smallest)
> Median household income: $49,446 (18th lowest)
> Poverty rate: 15.2% (23rd highest)

15. Louisiana
> Value of a dollar: $1.10
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +6.9% (14th smallest)
> Median household income: $44,555 (7th lowest)
> Poverty rate: 19.8% (3rd highest)

14. Kansas
> Value of a dollar: $1.10
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +5.7% (4th smallest)
> Median household income: $52,504 (25th lowest)
> Poverty rate: 13.6% (21st lowest)

13. Tennessee
> Value of a dollar: $1.10
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +7.4% (24th largest)
> Median household income: $44,361 (6th lowest)
> Poverty rate: 18.3% (7th highest)

12. South Carolina
> Value of a dollar: $1.11
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +8.2% (15th largest)
> Median household income: $45,238 (9th lowest)
> Poverty rate: 18.0% (11th highest)

11. Nebraska
> Value of a dollar: $1.11
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +6.6% (9th smallest)
> Median household income: $52,686 (24th highest)
> Poverty rate: 12.4% (16th lowest)

10. Iowa
> Value of a dollar: $1.11
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +5.5% (2nd smallest)
> Median household income: $53,712 (21st highest)
> Poverty rate: 12.2% (15th lowest)

9. Oklahoma
> Value of a dollar: $1.11
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +6.3% (8th smallest)
> Median household income: $47,529 (13th lowest)
> Poverty rate: 16.6% (14th highest)

8. Ohio
> Value of a dollar: $1.12
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +8.0% (17th largest)
> Median household income: $49,308 (16th lowest)
> Poverty rate: 15.8% (20th highest)

7. Missouri
> Value of a dollar: $1.12
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +5.8% (6th smallest)
> Median household income: $48,363 (15th lowest)
> Poverty rate: 15.5% (21st highest)

24/7 Wall St.
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6. Kentucky
> Value of a dollar: $1.12
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +7.3% (20th smallest)
> Median household income: $42,958 (5th lowest)
> Poverty rate: 19.1% (5th highest)

5. West Virginia
> Value of a dollar: $1.13
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +5.8% (5th smallest)
> Median household income: $41,059 (2nd lowest)
> Poverty rate: 18.3% (7th highest)

4. Alabama
> Value of a dollar: $1.14
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +7.4% (25th largest)
> Median household income: $42,830 (4th lowest)
> Poverty rate: 19.3% (4th highest)

3. South Dakota
> Value of a dollar: $1.14
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +6.6% (10th smallest)
> Median household income: $50,979 (22nd lowest)
> Poverty rate: 14.2% (23rd lowest)

2. Arkansas
> Value of a dollar: $1.14
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +6.8% (12th smallest)
> Median household income: $41,262 (3rd lowest)
> Poverty rate: 18.9% (6th highest)

1. Mississippi
> Value of a dollar: $1.15
> Chg. in value of dollar 2008-2013: +7.0% (16th smallest)
> Median household income: $39,680 (the lowest)
> Poverty rate: 21.5% (the highest)