The Cost Of Groceries For MD Households May Surprise You

MARYLAND — The average Maryland household spends $8,237 annually on groceries, according to a new LendingTree study.

That represents 6.2 percent of a Free State household's average income, below the average American household, which spends 7.4 percent of its income on groceries.

The average household income in Maryland is $133,800.

American households spent an average of $8,167 on food at home in 2023 (the latest available). Idaho residents spent the largest share of income on groceries at 10.4%, followed by Nevada and Utah (both 10.1%).

In contrast, District of Columbia residents only spent 4.4% of their income on food at home, followed by New Jersey and Illinois (both 5.4%), LendingTree found.

The analysis comes as consumers across the country are tracking the increasing costs of their grocery bills. Egg prices have dominated the headlines amid a bird flu outbreak, setting records in the lead up to Easter at an average price of $6.23 a dozen, The Associated Press reported.

The overall cost of groceries was 2.41 percent higher in March of this year compared to March 2024, the highest year-over-year grocery inflation rate since August 2023, CNN reported.

Related: The Trump Tariff Effect In MD: What Products Will Cost More?

New Tariffs: These 10 Products May Get Pricier In MD

Escalating Trade War With China Puts These Key MD Exports At Risk

Matt Schulz, LendingTree chief consumer finance analyst, said that the states that spent the largest share of their income on groceries tend to be more sparsely populated Western states, while those on the other end of the spectrum are more populous states east of the Mississippi.

“In those big eastern states, housing costs are likely taking up a bigger percentage of income than what we see in the Western states,” he said. “Also, the states at the bottom of the list tend to be far more urban, so more dining-out options might lead to less dining at home."

Here are the states that spend the highest percentage of their income on groceries:

1. Idaho, 10.4 percent
2. Nevada 10.1 percent
3. Utah, 10.1 percent
4. Alaska, 9.7 percent
5. Montana, 9.7 percent
6. Maine, 9.6 percent
7. New Mexico 9.4 percent
8. Oregon, 9.2 percent
9. Arkansas, 9.1 percent
10. Wyoming, 9.0 percent

Check out the full list at LendingTree.