The Most and Least Costly Walmarts in America 2025

In 2024, Walmart cleared $648 billion in income. That is an infinite however unsurprising quantity if you study there are greater than 4,600 Walmart areas throughout the United State. Due to its excessive variety of shops, it is also America’s largest grocery retailer chain — by a longshot. Based on FoodIndustry.com, the closest grocery retailer behind it’s Kroger’s, which operates 2,750 shops — a paltry quantity by comparability. Nonetheless, in line with new analysis by on-line lender CashNetUSA, not all Walmarts are equal throughout the nation. 

In February, the web site shared new analysis showcasing which states have the most affordable and most costly Walmart shops within the nation. Based on the report, it decided its rankings by compiling two lists of 12 food and drinks objects bought by a “typical grocery and vegan grocery checklist,” together with eggs, breakfast cereal, boneless rooster breast, milk, and bread. It recorded the costs of all of the objects in every state’s greatest metropolis by way of Walmart’s web site. Then, it in contrast the entire value for every state’s checklist towards the nationwide common to “calculate the worth premium for groceries and vegan groceries by state.” It calculated the affordability of the lists in each state in comparison with the native common wage, and at last in contrast worth premiums in 2024 towards these in its Walmart costs knowledge from 2023.

Here is what it discovered.

Texas is dwelling to the least costly Walmarts

In spite of everything that analysis, the group named Texas because the least costly vacation spot for Walmart groceries. The findings famous that the groceries in Texas value 4.77% lower than the nationwide common. It is joined by Maryland in second, adopted by Wisconsin, New Mexico, and New York because the least costly states. 

However Massachusetts is probably the most reasonably priced throughout 

Nonetheless, the group additionally broke out the “most reasonably priced” checklist by evaluating the typical value of the 12-item cart to the typical wage in every state. By taking a look at that metric, the group discovered that Massachusetts has probably the most reasonably priced groceries, taking a mean of 59 minutes of labor to afford the cart. It was adopted by New York at one hour, Washington at one hour and one minute, Maryland at one hour and 4 minutes, and Connecticut and California tied for fifth at one hour and 5 minutes. 

“When it comes to affordability, our evaluation discovered that California, New York, and New Jersey had been among the many most reasonably priced states for each kinds of groceries in 2024, though they’ve the next value of residing,” Matt Pelkey, the content material technique supervisor at CashNetUSA, shared with Meals & Wine. “This would possibly counsel that greater wages offset grocery bills, making meals extra reasonably priced relative to revenue. However, Southern and rural states dominate the least reasonably priced lists, highlighting how decrease common wages could make grocery prices tougher.” 

Some states have greater costs as a result of grocery taxes

As Pelkey famous, “Grocery taxes do contribute to greater costs in some states. Among the many 11 states that paid probably the most for typical Walmart groceries in 2024, we will see that 4 — Alabama, Arkansas, Hawaii, and Tennessee — impose a grocery tax, including to customers’ bills.” One other issue, Pelkey stated, is distribution and transport prices. “In Hawaii and Alaska, the place customers pay probably the most for each vegan and non-vegan items, groceries should be shipped throughout lengthy distances, which raises the costs.” 

You’ll be able to nonetheless save even if you happen to reside in an costly Walmart state

“By understanding how costs range by state, customers can plan forward and funds successfully, particularly if they’re relocating or touring for an prolonged interval,” Pelkey shared. “In areas the place groceries are costlier, individuals would possibly modify their purchasing habits by selecting extra reasonably priced store-brand alternate options or utilizing coupons to assist stability out excessive grocery prices.” 

Nonetheless, Pelkey famous these residing on a state border could also be in luck. “If customers reside close to a state border,” he stated, “they’ll examine costs at Walmarts in neighboring states to see if cross-border purchasing could be price it.”