Cigarette Prices by State – Latest Data and Trends

Americans spend an average of $6.43 for a cigarette pack. Not all US residents, however, pay the same price to satisfy their smoking habits. New Yorkers, for example, pay double the price paid by those in Missouri. Meaning, smoking two packs per week will cost you circa $1,086 a year in the Empire State. Missourians, by contrast, pay only $455. How much money does an average cigarette pack cost in each state? What is the state with the cheapest cigarettes? Why do some states have more expensive tobacco products? Find all the answers in this guide on cigarette prices by state.

What Affects Cigarette Prices?

Before we list the states, let’s learn why the price of cigarettes varies. Several factors affect how much residents pay for cigarettes in their state. Taxes, for instance, account for 44.3% of the total cigarette retail price per pack.

• Federal cigarette tax – Ever since 2009, the federal tax on cigarettes has been $1.01 per pack. This is a flat charge that applies to all packets, regardless of the state or brand.
• State taxes – State taxes are a significant factor that affects the average cigarette prices by state. New York, for example, has the highest cigarette tax by state of $4.75 per pack. That’s why this destination has the highest cigarette prices.
• Brand – Not all cigarette brands cost the same. Plus, most brands have a broad selection of products, whose prices also vary. Meaning, the Marlboro carton price by state isn’t identical to the Newport cigarettes price by state.
• Neighborhood and store – A Public Health Reports study established back in 2009 that cigarette costs vary by community and store type as well. High-income areas have more expensive cigarettes. The research concluded that the prices were higher in minority neighborhoods where mobility was generally lower. As for store price variations, chain stores had the lowest cigarette prices compared to independent stores.

And one more thing before we dive into the data on cigarette prices by state — the actual price of smoking goes beyond the cost of cigarettes. Tobacco use often has costly consequences for your health. Smokers are more likely to develop chronic diseases that lead to soaring medical bills, especially in the USA. America, after all, has the highest healthcare costs by country.

(National Institute of Health, CDC)

Cost of Cigarettes by State

Scroll down to find where you can get the cheapest cigarettes in the USA. Below, we will list each state from least to most expensive. We will also analyze the cigarette tax for every state and provide approximations on the annual price of smoking two packs a week.

The average US retail price of cigarettes is $6.43 per pack. Americans who smoke two packs a week, therefore, spend about $668 a year.

State	Average Retail Price Per Pack (Taxes Included)	Cigarette Excise Tax Per Pack	State Sales Tax Per Pack	Total State Tax Per Pack	Ranking
Alabama	$5.37	$0.68	$0.18	$0.86	14
Alaska	$8.81	$2.00	$0.00	$2.00	46
Arizona	$6.92	$2.00	$0.37	$2.37	36
Arkansas	$5.49	$1.15	$0.34	$1.49	17
California	$5.53	$0.87	$0.43	$1.30	20
Colorado	$5.26	$0.84	$0.15	$0.99	10
Connecticut	$8.91	$3.90	$0.53	$4.43	48
D.C.	$7.30	$2.50	$0.41	$2.91	37
Delaware	$5.50	$1.60	$0.00	$1.60	18
Florida	$5.50	$1.34	$0.35	$1.69	19
Georgia	$4.92	$0.37	$0.22	$0.59	5
Hawaii	$8.99	$3.20	$0.35	$3.55	49
Idaho	$5.23	$0.57	$0.30	$0.87	9
Illinois	$7.56	$1.98	$0.44	$2.42	38
Indiana	$5.56	$1.00	$0.36	$1.36	22
Iowa	$5.83	$1.36	$0.33	$1.69	25
Kansas	$5.89	$1.29	$0.36	$1.65	26
Kentucky	$5.36	$1.10	$0.32	$1.42	13
Louisiana	$5.42	$1.08	$0.21	$1.29	15
Maine	$6.62	$2.00	$0.35	$2.35	35
Maryland	$6.60	$2.00	$0.37	$2.37	34
Massachusetts	$9.08	$3.51	$0.53	$4.04	50
Michigan	$6.44	$2.00	$0.36	$2.36	32
Minnesota	$8.40	$3.00	$0.54	$3.54	45
Mississippi	$5.47	$0.68	$0.36	$1.04	16
Missouri	$4.38	$0.17	$0.19	$0.36	1
Montana	$6.11	$1.70	$0.00	$1.70	29
Nebraska	$5.32	$0.64	$0.28	$0.92	12
Nevada	$8.27	$1.80	$0.45	$2.25	43
New Hampshire	$5.81	$1.78	$0.00	$1.78	24
New Jersey	$7.66	$2.70	$0.50	$3.20	39
New Mexico	$6.53	$1.66	$0.34	$2.00	33
New York	$10.45	$4.35	$0.40	$4.75	51
North Carolina	$4.87	$0.45	$0.31	$0.76	4
North Dakota	$4.82	$0.44	$0.23	$0.67	3
Ohio	$6.10	$1.60	$0.37	$1.97	28
Oklahoma	$6.12	$2.03	$0.00	$2.03	30
Oregon	$5.26	$1.32	$0.00	$1.32	11
Pennsylvania	$8.27	$2.60	$0.47	$3.07	44
Rhode Island	$8.87	$3.75	$0.58	$4.33	47
South Carolina	$5.05	$0.57	$0.29	$0.86	7
South Dakota	$6.01	$1.53	$0.23	$1.76	27
Tennessee	$5.10	$0.62	$0.40	$1.02	8
Texas	$5.78	$1.41	$0.34	$1.75	24
Utah	$6.43	$1.70	$0.36	$2.06	31
Vermont	$8.01	$3.08	$0.45	$3.53	41
Virginia	$4.78	$0.30	$0.24	$0.54	2
Washington	$8.05	$2.52	$0.47	$2.89	42
West Virginia	$5.53	$1.20	$0.31	$1.51	21
Wisconsin	$7.67	$2.52	$0.37	$2.89	40
Wyoming	$5.04	$0.60	$0.19	$0.79	6

(Sales Tax Handbook)

Alabama

When looking at cigarette costs by state, Alabama won the 14^th place with its average price of $5.37 per pack. This state applies a cigarette excise tax of $0.68 per pack, on top of the $0.18 of sales tax. Alabama residents that smoke 40 cigarettes a week spend about $547.74 a year. The Cotton State has one of the highest tobacco use rates of 20.20%.

Alaska

The price of cigarettes in Alaska is $8.81, resulting in annual expenses of $916.24, making the Final Frontier one of the places with the highest tobacco prices by state. Alaska doesn’t have sales tax on cigarettes, while its tobacco use rate is a significant 17.40%.

Arizona

Cigarette prices in Arizona earned the state the 36^th position on our list of states with the cheapest tobacco. A packet here costs $6.92, resulting in total annual costs of $719.68 for those who smoke 40 cigarettes a week. As for cigarette use, only 14.90% of Arizona adults reported indulging in this habit.

Arkansas

Arkansas applies a cigarette excise tax of $1.15 and a sales tax of $0.34 per pack. These two increase the average price of 20 cigarettes in Arkansas to $5.49. So, smokers in Arkansas who smoke about 5.7 cigarettes a day spend $570.96 per year. Despite holding the reasonable 17^th position regarding cigarette price by state, Arkansas has a rate of 20.20% adult smokers.

California

With the price of cigarettes in California being $5.53, Californian smokers spend $575.12 a year on two packets per week. These tobacco expenses place the state in the 20^th place in terms of cigarette prices. California also has one of the lowest smoker rates in the US (10%).

Colorado

The cost of cigarettes in Colorado is $5.26 per pack. If you live in Colorado and smoke two packs weekly, the local cigarette price by state means that you will spend $547.04 on cigarettes a year. In this state, the cigarette use rate is 13.50%.

Connecticut

The cigarette prices in Connecticut place the destination in the top-four most expensive American states for smokers with its average pack cost of $8.91. About 12.1% of adults based here smoke and spend $926.64 on tobacco products a year.

D.C.

D.C. has a cigarette excise tax of $2.50 per pack and the highest total state tax of $2.91 per packet. That’s why D.C. also has soaring cigarette carton prices by state of $73. Many adults smoke in D.C., and the use rate is 14.6%.

Delaware

Delaware cigarette carton prices are about $55 as a single packet costs, on average, $5.50. It’s amusing that this state doesn’t apply any sales tax but has a hefty cigarette excise tax of $1.60 a pack which makes for nearly average cigarette prices by state.

Delaware has an average tobacco use rate among adults of 15.90%. Instead of spending money on cigarettes, Delawareans grow their savings, with the state boasting the highest average retirement savings by state in the nation.

Florida

With cigarette prices in Florida around $5.50, this state holds the 19^th place in terms of cheap tobacco across all states. Floridians pay $55 per carton. Smoking, however, isn’t prevalent in the state as the tobacco use in Florida is 14.8%.

Georgia

The price of cigarettes in Georgia is $4.92 per pack. This makes Georgia one of the destinations with the cheapest cigarettes by state. This state has respective cigarette excise tax and sales tax of $0.37 and $0.22 per pack. Georgia has a tobacco use rate of 16.3%.

Hawaii

With cigarette prices in Hawaii at $8.99 a packet, the state is the 3^rd worst destination for American smokers. If you smoke one carton per five weeks in Hawaii, you will spend $934.96 on cigarettes a year. Not many Hawaiians smoke, however, and the cigarette use rate in the state is only 12.3%.

Idaho

Idaho is another state with cheap cigarettes — the average price of cigarettes by state for a pack here is $5.23. Buy two packs every week, and you’ll spend $543.92 on smoking per year in Idaho. The tobacco use rate among adults in this state is 15.30%.

Illinois

Cigarette prices in Illinois make this state a bad destination for smokers. A pack costs, on average, $7.56. Meaning, the annual smoking costs for intermittent smokers are $786.24. Among Illinois adults, 14.5% use cigarettes.

Indiana

With cigarette prices in Indiana being $5.56 per pack, Indiana ranked 22^nd for the cheapest cigarette prices in the US. This price is reasonable and contributes to the annual smoking costs of about $578.24 (for 40 cigarettes per week). Indiana has a tobacco use rate of 19.20%.

Iowa

Iowa belongs in the group of destinations with a reasonable cost of a pack of cigarettes by state. Cigarettes cost $5.83/pack. A person who smokes 40 cigarettes a week in Iowa spends a little over $600 on smoking a year. The cigarette use in the state is, however, as high as 16.4%.

Given the below-average cigarette prices in Iowa, this is an excellent state for smokers. It, however, is not that suitable for businesses, having some of the highest corporate taxes by state in the country. 

Kansas

The price of cigarettes in Kansas is $5.89 per pack and $58.9 per carton. With such a price, Kansas residents that smoke 40 cigarettes a week spend $612.56 every year on smoking. As for the tobacco use rate in Kansas, 16.20% of the state’s residents indulge in this habit.

Kentucky

Kentucky residents pay a reasonable average of $5.36 for a 20-cigarette pack, our cigarette prices by state rundown shows. With this average price, smokers in the state spend about $557 a year if they buy 40 cigarettes per week. The low cigarette prices in Kentucky are among the reasons that this state has the second-highest rate of tobacco use of 23.6%.

Louisiana

Louisiana is one of the states with the cheapest cigarettes in the USA. The Pelican State has a cigarette use rate of 21.9%, and the average price smokers pay here is $5.42 per pack. Smoking 40 cigarettes a week in Louisiana will cost you about $563.68 a year.

Maine

Maine has high cigarette carton prices by state and tobacco use among adults. Smokers based in the state pay $6.62 per pack or $66.2 per carton. Smoke 5.7 cigarettes a day for a year in Maine, and you’ll spend $688.48. Despite the hefty price of cigarettes, the state’s tobacco use rate among adult consumers is a significant 17.6%.

Maryland

The cost of cigarettes in Maryland is $6.60 a pack or $66 per carton. In Maryland, if you give up smoking two packs per week for a year, you can save about $686. Smoking isn’t that popular and the tobacco use rate is only 12.7%.

Massachusetts

The average price of cigarettes in Massachusetts is $9.08, which makes this state a bad destination for those looking for the cheapest cigarettes by state. Those buying two packets every seven days spend $944.32 or so on tobacco products. On the flip side, analysis of the states with the best job market by state shows that Massachusetts ranks first, making it a good destination for both smokers and non-smokers.

Michigan

With cigarette prices in Michigan being $6.44, people living in the state pay $64.4 for a carton. Michigan residents who smoke two packets within seven days spend almost $670 in 52 weeks. Still, Michigan notes a high tobacco use rate of 18.7%.

Minnesota

Minnesotans spend $873.6 a year on smoking as the price of cigarettes in Minnesota is $8.4 per pack. This is one of the destinations with the most expensive cigarettes by state in the US. Minnesota, however, belongs among those where tobacco use isn’t too high — it stands at 14.6%.

Mississippi

The average cost of cigarettes in Mississippi is $5.47, making this one of the states with the cheapest cigarettes. Smoking 40 cigarettes weekly costs Mississippians almost $570 annually. While the low cigarette price doesn’t necessarily boost smoking, Mississippi has a high cigarette use level of 20.4%.

Missouri

Missouri has the lowest price of cigarettes by state in the US — an average of $4.38 for a pack. The low cigarette excise tax ($0.17 per pack) and state sales tax ($0.19 per pack) are responsible for the affordable cigarette prices in Missouri. This price earns Missouri the top position when analyzing the cheapest carton of cigarettes by state, as well. 

Missouri has a cigarette use rate of 19.6% among adults, placing it among the 15 states with the highest rate of smokers. Missourians who smoke two packs a week spend about $455 a year. Residents in this cheapest state to buy cigarettes save double the money than smokers in Alaska, Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts, New York, and Rhode Island.

Montana

Montana is another jurisdiction where the price of cigarettes by state isn’t affected by a sales tax. The Big Sky state only has a cigarette excise tax of $1.70, and that’s it. An average pack in the state costs $6.11, while the tobacco use rate is 16.6%.

Nebraska

Nebraskans pay about $5.32 for a pack, below the national average. Buying two packs every week for a year in Nebraska will cost you about $553.

Nevada

Less than 16% (15.7%) of adults in Nevada use cigarettes, placing the state among those with average tobacco use rates. The price of cigarettes in Nevada meanwhile is $8.27 per pack. Those who buy two packets every seven days, annually spend just above $860 on smoking.

New Hampshire

New Hampshire has no sales tax and ranks in the upper half of our cigarette prices by state rundown. Only the cigarette excise tax of $1.78 per pack affects the New Hampshire cigarette prices. A carton in this state costs about $58.1 since the average pack price is $5.81. New Hampshire has a 15.9% tobacco use rate.

New Jersey

This destination has unfavorable cigarette prices by state at $7.66. One carton in the Garden State costs about $76.6. These cigarette prices in New Jersey result in yearly smoking expenses of $796.64. Approximately 13.1% of adults living in New Jersey smoke.

New Mexico

Smoking in New Mexico costs $6.53 per packet, $65.3 per carton, and about $679 per year. This places the Land of Enchantment at the 33^rd position regarding the cheapest cigarette prices in the US. The cigarette use in New Mexico is at 16%.

New York

With the price of cigarettes in New York being $10.45, this destination has the highest cigarette cost by state. New Yorkers spend $1,086.8 a year if they smoke 40 cigarettes a week. That’s one of the reasons why tobacco use in this state is low 12.7%. Even the cigarette prices by brand in New York are higher than the national average.

North Carolina

With an average price of $4.87, the cost of cigarettes in North Carolina is among the lowest throughout the country. People from this state who smoke about two packs a week spend around $506 a year. The cigarette use rate among adults in North Carolina is 18.5%.

North Dakota

North Dakota ranks high among US locations with the lowest cigarette cost by state. The average cigarette prices in North Dakota move around the $4.82 threshold. So, 17% of adult smokers in the state spend approximately $501.28 annually on two packs per week.

Ohio

Cigarette prices in Ohio are $6.1 per packet. With this pricing, Ohio residents spend about $636 a year on 40 cigarettes a week. Despite having pricey tobacco, Ohio has one of the highest cigarette use rates of 20.8%.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma doesn’t have a sales tax but still has a high average price of cigarettes by state. The cost of cigarettes in Oklahoma is $6.12. Meaning, its residents spend about $636 on two packets per week over a year. Oklahoma also has a high cigarette use rate of 18.9%.

Oregon

Set at $5.26, the price of cigarettes in Oregon earned the state a place among the top 15 states for smokers. Oregon doesn’t have any sales tax on cigarettes but applies a $1.33 excise tax. Oregon residents spend $52.6 per carton on cigarettes, while the tobacco use rate in this state is 14.5%.

Pennsylvania

About 17.3% of adults in Pennsylvania use cigarettes, meaning the state comes somewhere in the middle compared to the rest. Smokers in the state deal with Pennsylvania cigarettes prices of $8.27 a packet. Calculations based on cigarette prices by state show that smoking 5.7 cigarettes a day in the state costs residents $860 annually.

Rhode Island

This is the state with the highest sales tax of $0.58 per pack. So, it’s no surprise that the Rhode Island cigarette prices are the fifth-worst throughout the US. An average packet of 20 cigarettes in the state costs $8.87, resulting in annual smoking expenses of $922. Rhode Island has a tobacco use rate of 13.30%.

South Carolina

Cigarette prices in South Carolina stand at a reasonable $5.05 per pack. This means that anyone who buys two packs weekly will spend $525.2 yearly on smoking. South Carolina is one of the states with tobacco use rates among adults of 17.50%.

South Dakota

With South Dakota cigarette prices around $6.01, according to data on cigarette prices by state, local residents spend $625 or so on smoking per year. South Dakota has a cigarette use rate among adults of a considerable 18.30%.

Tennessee

Tennessee is among the top 10 states with the highest tobacco use rate (19.9%) in the US and the top 10 list of states with the cheapest cigarettes. Cigarette prices in Tennessee show that one pack in the state is $5.10, resulting in average annual smoking costs of $530. This approximate applies only to Tennesseans that smoke two packs weekly.

Texas

The cigarette use rate in Texas is 14.7%, placing this state in the better half. The situation is similar to the cost of cigarettes in Texas because the state ranks as the 23^rd best destination for smokers. With an average pack being $5.78, Texans spend about $601.12 a year on their smoking habit.

Utah

Utah is a fantastic state in many regards. West Valley City, for instance, is one of the best, if not the best place for flipping houses in America. Plus, the state has the lowest tobacco use rate of only 7.90%. When it comes to cigarette costs by state, however, Utah could do better. With a total state tax of $2.06 per packet, Utahns pay about $6.43 for 20 cigarettes. Smoking two packs a week costs them over $668.72 a year.

Vermont

Vermont is among the states where smoking isn’t prevalent and only 15.10% of adults use tobacco. One packet in the state costs $8.01. These cigarette prices in Vermont represent an annual burden of about $833 for light smokers.

Virginia

Virginia holds the second place on our list of tobacco prices by state. The average cigarette prices in Virginia are under $5 or, more precisely, $4.78. Meaning, a carton in this state is $47.8, while the annual cost of smoking two packs a week is $497. Virginia has an average cigarette use rate of 14%.

Washington

The price of cigarettes in Washington State is $8.05 a packet or $837.2 a year. With a cigarette use rate of 12.6%, Washington is among the states with the lowest tobacco popularity among adults, partly on account of the soaring cost of cigarettes by state.

West Virginia

The West Virginia cigarette prices are $5.53 per pack. It, however, has a sales tax of $0.31 on cigarettes. West Virginia is also the state with the highest tobacco use rate among adults of 23.80%.

Wisconsin

About 15.4% of adults in Wisconsin use cigarette products. The rate makes sense as the cost of cigarettes in Wisconsin is as high as $7.67. Smokers who smoke two packs a week in Badger State annually spend $797.68 on cigarettes.

Wyoming

Wyoming is among the states with the lowest cost of a pack of cigarettes by state. People who smoke two packs a week here spend around $524 per year on their smoking habit. Namely, one packet in Wyoming is only $5.04. Maybe that’s one of the reasons why the state has a high rate of tobacco use — 18.4%.

(Sales Tax Handbook, World Population Review, CDC)

Cigarette Prices FAQ

How much do cigarettes cost in each state?

Various factors, including state excise tax per pack, affect the actual cigarette cost in each state. In 26 states, therefore, the average price per pack is under $6. 

Cigarettes are the most expensive in Massachusetts and New York. In these states, they cost over $9 per pack. Missourians have the cheapest cigarettes that cost $4.38 on average, according to data on cigarette prices by state.

Which state has the highest cigarette tax?

New York has the highest cigarette excise tax per pack of $4.35. Combined with the $0.4 state sales tax per pack, the total tax amount totals $4.75. 

Connecticut is the second-worst state in this regard, with its cigarette tax of $4.43 per pack. Still, New Yorkers pay the highest retail price per pack of cigarettes of $10.45.

What states have the most smokers?

West Virginia, Kentucky, and Louisiana have the highest smoking rates of 23.8%, 23.6%, and 21.9%, respectively. Most smokers in America are males aged 25–64.

Which states have the cheapest cigarettes?

Missouri, Georgia, and North Carolina are the US states with the cheapest cigarettes. At $0.17, Missouri also has the lowest cigarette excise tax per pack. That’s the primary reason why the state’s residents pay an average of $4.38 per pack.

Final Words

The cigarette prices by state vary drastically. Meaning, passionate smokers could save loads of money by merely relocating elsewhere. Smoking three packs a week in Missouri costs about $683 per year, while in New York, about $1,630. The amount you’d save is nearly $950, which quickly adds up. If you’ve been smoking for 20 years, for example, you could’ve saved almost $19,000. This is a significant amount of money that could’ve ended up in your bank account.

References: National Institute of Health, CDC, Sales Tax Handbook, World Population Review, CDC