BECKLEY, WV (WVNS) – According to a study conducted by NiceRX, residents of West Virginia are losing a lot of their income to the costs of food and beverages.
New research has revealed that West Virginia residents are losing 6.95% of their income to food & beverage costs per year. This amount of loss is the 6th highest in the country.
Here
| Rank | State | Personal Income per Capita | Food and Beverage Cost per Capita | Food and Beverage Cost per Capita (% of income) |
| 1 | Maine | $57,159 | $4,268 | 7.47% |
| 2 | Hawaii | $60,389 | $4,446 | 7.36% |
| 3 | Vermont | $59,704 | $4,267 | 7.15% |
| 4 | Mississippi | $45,438 | $3,229 | 7.11% |
| 5 | Kentucky | $50,699 | $3,555 | 7.01% |
| 6 | West Virginia | $47,817 | $3,325 | 6.95% |
| 7 | New Mexico | $49,320 | $3,273 | 6.64% |
| 8 | South Carolina | $52,074 | $3,455 | 6.64% |
| 9 | Montana | $56,672 | $3,732 | 6.59% |
| 10 | Oregon | $60,676 | $3,923 | 6.47% |
The research carried out by looked at what percentage of the average income is spent on rent, transportation costs, childcare, and other major cost of living factors.
- As well as food & beverages, West Virginia residents are also spending 20.85% of their income on health insurance and $10,656 on rent.
The research also revealed:
- Rent and childcare are the two most-expensive cost of living factors in the US; put together they cost an average of $45,423 per year, which in-turn amounts to more than 46% of the average annual income.
- Health Insurance ranks as the 3rd most-expensive cost of living factor in the US, with average costs across the US around $6,500 per-year, making up more than 10% of average income.
- Despite residents of Massachusetts having an average personal income of $82,475, rental costs still amount to more than 32% of this total.
