BUSINESS
How much does beer cost in every state in 2024?
Average beer prices are up three percent since last year. Where are prices highest?
Beer prices continue to rise in the United States, just one good that inflation is still pushing up. However, not all markets are equal, and differences in the cost of living seen across the country lead to differences in the prices offered.
To compile our price list by state, we checked the price of a 24-pack of 12-ounce Bud Light cans at a Walmart in or near the state’s capitol. Bud Light was selected because it has historically been the most consumed beer in the country. However, alcohol cannot be purchased online in all states, so we filled in our wholes with a similar collection effort carried out by Alcohol Delivered in January. Additionally, in states where only a 30-pack was available online, Alcohol Delivered data was used to avoid issues where a product with more units limits the overall cost of each individual beer.
- South Carolina $16.54
- New York $16.72
- Rhode Island $17.26
- Kansas $17.30
- North Carolina $17.30
- Arizona $17.48
- Connecticut $17.77
- Indiana $18.21
- New Hampshire $18.54
- Oklahoma$18.94
- Illinois $18.98
- Michigan $18.98
- New Mexico $19.06
- California $19.30
- Minnesota $19.41
- Arkansas $19.44
- West Virginia $19.49
- Massachusetts $19.62
- Utah $19.71
- Mississippi $19.98
- Georgia $20.25
- Idaho $20.26
- Kentucky $20.45
- Alabama $20.48
- Colorado $20.48
- Delaware $20.51
- Missouri $20.98
- Texas $20.98
- North Dakota $21.00
- Maine $21.17
- Nebraska $21.27
- South Dakota $21.48
- Virginia $21.73
- District of Columbia $21.98
- Florida $21.98
- Wisconsin $21.98
- Maryland $22.04
- Washington $22.26
- Oregon $22.51
- Nevada $22.62
- New Jersey $22.99
- Pennsylvania $23.21
- Vermont $23.25
- Iowa $23.98
- Louisiana $23.98
- Montana $24.06
- Ohio $24.55
- Tennessee $26.27
- Wyoming $28.78
- Alaska $33.32
- Hawaii $33.62
Where are the prices lowest and highest?
Dividing this list by the twenty-four gives us the per-unit price. This ratio may provide better insights into how prices differ across the country. The states with the lowest prices were South Carolina ($0.69), New York ($0.70), Rhode Island ($0.72), Kansas ($0.72), North Carolina ($0.72), Arizona ($0.73), Connecticut ($0.74), Indiana ($0.76), New Hampshire ($0.77), and Oklahoma ($0.79).
At the other end of the spectrum, Hawaii ($1.39) and Alaska ($1.40) lead the country in terms of price. This is typical since the more remote locations increase the transportation costs of goods sold in those states. The other eight states with the highest prices were Wyoming ($1.20), Tennessee ($1.09), Ohio ($1.02), Montana ($1.00), Iowa ($1.00), Louisiana ($1.00), Vermont ($0.97), and Pennsylvania ($0.97).
Bud Light stock rebounds
Around this time last year, Bud Light lovers were abandoning the drink in droves, and the stock price dipped slightly. The stock has surpassed its position a year ago, with each unit being sold for $64.54. The company commented on the strong note they have ended the year on, saying that while their “full potential was constrained” in 2023, they continue to grow their share of the global beer market, and their “diversified footprint, global scale and unparalleled ecosystem uniquely position [them] to lead and grow the category.”