It costs more to drive in these US states than anywhere else, according to new report
(NEXSTAR) - It's certainly not cheap to keep your car on the road. There's gas, insurance, car maintenance, and so much more. But depending on where you're located in the U.S., you may be able to save some cash on your typical vehicular fees.
To determine this, MoneyGeek did some research and looked into several different cost factors including gas prices, annual toll costs, annual maintenance costs, and the cheapest auto insurance prices in each state.
Based on these factors, each state was given a final cost score from 0-100, with 0 being the most expensive state and 100 being the cheapest.
Landing at No. 1 was Maryland, which was given a score of 0 out of 100, making it the most expensive state to drive by a wide margin – outside of No. 2 Oregon, which was given a score of 1.6.
For drivers in Maryland, annual repair costs are typically about $399, while the average cost for the cheapest full-coverage car insurance per year is roughly $1,191.
Other notable states not far behind Maryland include Florida at No. 4, which finished with the highest auto insurance costs in the top 10. Drivers there spend an average of $1,360 annually.
Further down at No. 9 in their rankings is Connecticut, which actually is the most expensive state for annual repair costs in the U.S. at about $418.
But sixth-ranked Delaware stands out in particular due to its average cost for tolls per vehicle being $1,077 per year -- the next closest in the top 10 is California where the average cost is $497.
Of all the states, here are the 10 that MoneyGeek scored as the most expensive:
| Cost Category Rank | State | Cost Score | Average Maintenance Costs (2022) | Average Tolls per vehicle (2021) | Auto Insurance Costs (2024) | Gas Price per Gallon (2024) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maryland | 0.0 | $399 | $263 | $1,191 | $4.14 |
| 2 | Oregon | 1.6 | $394 | $311 | $965 | $4.25 |
| 3 | New York | 5.7 | $387 | $319 | $1,121 | $4.12 |
| 4 | Florida | 7.3 | $396 | $296 | $1,360 | $3.92 |
| 5 | California | 8.1 | $416 | $497 | $427 | $5.00 |
| 6 | Delaware | 8.9 | $391 | $1,077 | $865 | $3.98 |
| 7 | Washington | 15.5 | $392 | $278 | $793 | $4.55 |
| 8 | West Virginia | 17.1 | $383 | $493 | $1,043 | $3.81 |
| 9 | Connecticut | 18.7 | $418 | $65 | $948 | $4.17 |
| 10 | Colorado | 19.5 | $417 | $422 | $721 | $3.75 |
On the other end, several states in the Midwest scored out as the cheapest states to drive. South Dakota finished at the top with a perfect score of 100.
Drivers there pay an average annual full-coverage insurance of $614 for the cheapest full-coverage insurance. With limited tolls, drivers only pay roughly $127 a year on them.
A bit further back was Nebraska at No. 2 where drivers only pay an average of $488 a year for auto insurance. Wisconsin at No. 3 is even cheaper at $466, but tolls and gas are both more expensive.
The rest of the top 10 cheapest states came together like this:
| Cost Category Rank | State | Cost Score | Average Maintenance Costs (2022) | Average Tolls per vehicle (2021) | Auto Insurance Costs (2024) | Gas Price per Gallon (2024) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | South Dakota | 100.0 | $378 | $127 | $614 | $3.44 |
| 49 | Nebraska | 89.4 | $375 | $263 | $488 | $3.47 |
| 48 | Wisconsin | 78.0 | $361 | $287 | $466 | $3.82 |
| 47 | New Hampshire | 77.2 | $371 | $253 | $479 | $3.94 |
| 45 | Massachusetts | 75.6 | $365 | $267 | $646 | $3.67 |
| 45 | North Dakota | 75.6 | $386 | $112 | $483 | $4.04 |
| 43 | Montana | 74.8 | $390 | $132 | $561 | $3.79 |
| 43 | Kansas | 74.8 | $374 | $238 | $888 | $3.42 |
| 41 | Arkansas | 71.5 | $383 | $194 | $771 | $3.47 |
| 41 | Ohio | 71.5 | $354 | $292 | $485 | $3.93 |
To see how expensive it is to drive in your state, you can check out MoneyGeek's full study on their website.
How to save money on auto insurance
Your insurance is arguably the largest cost you face when it comes to car payments. But it's not a flat rate, the price is affected by you and your driving. So if you understand what affects your insurance, you may be able to save some money.
NerdWallet dropped a list of tips that can help you when searching for car insurance. The first and most important is to shop around.
Different auto insurers weigh factors like your age, driving history, and location differently when it comes to your insurance costs.
Other tips include driving safely, improving your credit, increasing the deductible on your insurance, and taking advantage of car insurance discounts when available.