High Grocery Costs: Louisiana Ranks Top 10 in US Study

SHREVEPORT, LA - How much do you spend on groceries each week? I know prices have been going up and it's tough to budget for higher prices. And the news today is not good in Louisiana. The Bayou State ranks in the top ten states for most expensive groceries.

Investopedia has tracked data from the US Census Bureau’s House Pulse Survey to find out how much we spend during the average trip to the grocery store each week. The numbers date back to 2023 which is the most recent available. Oklahoma ranks number 8 on this report.

Top 10 States for Grocery Prices

California: $297.72
Nevada: $294.76
Mississippi: $290.64
Washington: $287.67
Florida: $287.27
New Mexico: $286.39
Texas: $286.19
Louisiana: $282.95
Colorado: $279.98
Oklahoma: $279.16

This spending closes in on $1200 dollars a month for Louisiana residents. I really don't know how folks getting SNAP benefits can afford to buy groceries these days. They don't get anywhere near that amount in public help.

READ MORE: Restaurant Prices Climbing

In Louisiana, the average monthly SNAP benefit per household is around $370, with an average of $187 per individual.

Recently prices have been dropping a bit, but it has not been enough to compensate for overall price increases over the past five years.

Groceries are exempt from sales tax in Louisiana, but we still pay local sales taxes on groceries. But State Rep. Danny McCormick wants to end that. He says many folks in his district in north Caddo Parish drive to Texas to buy groceries because they are completely tax free there. He's proposing a bill to make groceries completely tax free.