Cheapest States for Home Maintenance
Home maintenance costs vary by state, driven by home values, contractor rates, cost of living, and climate. Under the 1% rule, a year of upkeep on the median home runs from about $1,830 in West Virginia to about $8,370 in Hawaii; older homes and high local labor costs push the real figure higher. This guide ranks states by median home value, the base of the 1% rule.
- West Virginia ranks #1 with the lowest median home price at $183,000.
- Hawaii ranks last at $837,000 — the highest among all states.
- The top 5 states are West Virginia, Mississippi, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas.
- The ranking basis, source limitations, and calculation method are documented in the Methodology section below.
Top 3 States
All 50 States Ranked
Lowest to highest by median home price
| # | State | Median Home Price | Cost of Living | Avg Home Insurance | Calculator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Virginia | $183,000 | 87 | $1,179 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 2 | Mississippi | $198,000 | 87.4 | $2,029 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 3 | Louisiana | $218,000 | 91.3 | $3,027 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 4 | Oklahoma | $225,000 | 83 | $2,486 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 5 | Arkansas | $229,000 | 89 | $1,870 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 6 | Kentucky | $235,000 | 94 | $1,525 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 7 | Iowa | $241,000 | 86.1 | $1,342 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 8 | Alabama | $242,000 | 86 | $1,906 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 9 | Ohio | $252,000 | 93 | $1,116 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 10 | Kansas | $253,000 | 87.1 | $1,733 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 11 | Indiana | $262,000 | 89.7 | $1,259 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 12 | Michigan | $270,000 | 92.1 | $1,110 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 13 | Missouri | $272,000 | 88.2 | $1,589 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 14 | Nebraska | $284,000 | 90.1 | $2,142 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 15 | North Dakota | $294,000 | 90.5 | $1,414 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | $294,000 | 95.3 | $1,217 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 17 | Illinois | $299,000 | 94.5 | $1,480 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 18 | Texas | $303,000 | 90.8 | $2,864 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 19 | South Carolina | $309,000 | 92.7 | $1,753 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 20 | New Mexico | $321,000 | 90.2 | $1,490 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 21 | South Dakota | $326,000 | 93.5 | $1,614 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 22 | Georgia | $335,000 | 90.1 | $1,828 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 23 | Tennessee | $339,000 | 89.7 | $1,649 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 24 | North Carolina | $340,000 | 96.7 | $1,852 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 25 | Wisconsin | $342,000 | 95.7 | $923 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 26 | Minnesota | $357,000 | 93.4 | $1,988 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 27 | Wyoming | $373,000 | 94.4 | $1,853 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 28 | Florida | $378,000 | 100.8 | $2,779 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 29 | Alaska | $401,000 | 124.5 | $1,216 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 30 | Vermont | $402,000 | 113.4 | $1,215 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 31 | Delaware | $412,000 | 100.6 | $1,196 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 32 | Virginia | $420,000 | 99 | $1,537 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 33 | Arizona | $423,000 | 108.6 | $1,194 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 34 | Maine | $424,000 | 112.9 | $1,150 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 35 | Maryland | $436,000 | 118.8 | $1,578 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 36 | Nevada | $448,000 | 105.4 | $1,013 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 37 | Connecticut | $455,000 | 103.6 | $2,036 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 38 | Montana | $476,000 | 106 | $1,768 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 39 | Idaho | $482,000 | 99.4 | $1,135 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 40 | Oregon | $504,000 | 110.4 | $1,003 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 41 | Rhode Island | $517,000 | 110.9 | $2,396 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 42 | New Hampshire | $523,000 | 108.5 | $1,300 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 43 | New York | $526,000 | 132.6 | $1,801 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 44 | Utah | $542,000 | 98.4 | $1,107 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 45 | Colorado | $543,000 | 102.7 | $2,492 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 46 | New Jersey | $585,000 | 119.2 | $1,551 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 47 | Washington | $603,000 | 115.1 | $1,232 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 48 | Massachusetts | $673,000 | 148.1 | $2,134 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 49 | California | $776,000 | 140.3 | $1,655 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
| 50 | Hawaii | $837,000 | 185.8 | $1,549 | Home Maintenance Calculator |
Methodology
How we collected and ranked the data
States ranked by median home price (ascending), since the "1% rule" ties annual maintenance budget directly to home value. Lower home prices generally mean lower maintenance costs, and lower local price levels usually mean lower contractor rates. Home prices are the Zillow Home Value Index (June 2026), cost of living is the C2ER Cost of Living Index (via MERIC), Q2 2026 (100 = the national average), and the insurance column is this site's average annual homeowners insurance figure for each state.
Newsletter Signups Are Paused
We're building the email delivery behind our newsletter so we can do it properly — signups aren't open yet. Check back soon.
No form here and nothing is collected. Read our privacy policy.
Compare Two States
Compare taxes, housing, cost of living, and more between any two states.
View all 107 state comparisonsFrequently Asked Questions
How much should I budget for home maintenance?
The most common guideline is the "1% rule" — budget 1% of your home's value annually for maintenance. For a $300,000 home, that's $3,000/year. Older homes (20+ years) typically need 1.5–2%. This covers routine repairs, seasonal maintenance, and builds reserves for major replacements like HVAC or roofing.
What are the most expensive home repairs?
Roof replacement, heating and cooling systems, foundation repair, plumbing and electrical rewiring are the big-ticket items; prices depend on the home and local labor, so get quotes. Setting aside reserve funds monthly keeps them from becoming financial emergencies.
Which states have the cheapest home maintenance?
States with the lowest home values and cost of living — like West Virginia, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Oklahoma — have the cheapest home maintenance. Lower home values mean a smaller 1% budget, and lower local labor costs usually make repairs cheaper than in high-cost states like California, Hawaii, or Massachusetts.