How Do Food Prices in Texas Compare to the Rest of the Country?

Feeling the pinch of food prices in Central Texas? You're not alone, but how do food prices here compare to prices in the rest of the country?

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You may be surprised to find out.

Inflation

Inflation is affecting everyone in one way or another. Most of us are feeling it at the pump and the grocery store. According to a report from 24/7 Wall St., recent findings by the Economic Policy Institute show that food prices in 2022 have gone up by 8% nationwide.

Nationally, a family of four with two adults and two children can expect to spend an average of $9,835 on food in 2022. In Texas, that cost is a bit cheaper at $8,660 in 2022.

Texas Food Cost

Here is something you may not know - food costs have a lot to do with what people can afford in the state they live in. In Texas, the average median income per family is  $76,073 a year. The national average is $80,069 per year, so food costs in Texas are usually slightly lower than the national average. That's why the cost of food in Texas is slightly lower than it is nationally.

Texas Ranking

So where do we rank in Texas for food costs? Not as bad as 46 other states. Overall, Texas finished 47th on the list with only West Virginia, Indiana, and Kentucky finishing below us. Hawaii, Massachusetts and Maine finished top 3 in the country.

By way of comparison, the estimated average food cost for a family of four in Hawaii in 2022 is $14,042, with Massachusetts in at $11,674 estimated for 2022.

Overall, as much as inflation is taking its toll on us Texans, the price of groceries is relatively cheaper than in most states.