Map Reveals States Where Americans Spend Most on Fast Food

Residents in a number of Southern states spend the largest share of their income on fast food, according to a new study.

The report by the personal finance website WalletHub shows that buying just one fast food burger, a small pizza and a fried chicken sandwich costs residents in Mississippi 0.48 percent of their median monthly household income-the highest percentage in the nation. In contrast, it costs 0.27 percent of median monthly household incomes in New Jersey, the lowest share in the nation.

The findings come at a time of worsening cost of living for millions of Americans due to inflation caused by geopolitical events, including the war in Iran. The price of fast food restaurants also increased by around 60 percent between 2014 and 2024, far outpacing inflation, according to FinanceBuzz. This has made fast food less affordable for lower-income households across America.

“With fast food prices rising by an average of 60 percent over the past decade, it’s fair for consumers to wonder whether the convenience of having food in minutes is really even worth it anymore,” WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said.

“Where you live can have a big impact on how much you shell out for fast food, too; it costs around 1.8 times more in the most expensive states than the cheapest states, relative to the median income.”

What To Know

Residents in Mississippi spend the highest share of their incomes on fast food because the state has the lowest median household income at $55,447, the report says.

While the state is in the bottom half of states for the cost of pizza, fried chicken sandwiches and burgers, the low median incomes still mean residents pay a larger percentage of their incomes, WalletHub notes.

Arkansas residents spend the second-largest share of their incomes on fast food, and the state has the fourth-lowest median household income at $60,773. The state has the fifth-highest prices for burgers, but the lowest prices for pizzas and the second-lowest prices for fried chicken sandwiches.

Meanwhile, Louisiana residents spend the third-largest share of their incomes on fast food. Residents have the third-lowest median household incomes in the nation at $60,756. Louisiana is the 33rd most expensive state for burgers, the 35th most expensive state for chicken sandwiches, but the ninth-least expensive state for pizza.

How It Was Calculated

WalletHub analyzed the prices of fast food pizza, fried chicken sandwiches and burgers across all 50 states.

The combined costs were then compared with each state’s median household income to determine which states pay the highest share of their income on fast food products.

Obesity in America

A separate WalletHub study from November 2025 showed that a number of Southern states also had the highest percentage of obese adults. At the top of the list was West Virginia, where 42 percent of the state’s adults were classified as obese, and another 31 percent were overweight but not obese, according to the study.

Mississippi ranked the second-most overweight state, with 40.4 percent of adults being obese and 31.1 percent overweight.

Meanwhile, Arkansas was the third-most overweight state with 40.1 percent of adults being obese and 31 percent overweight.

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This story was originally published June 10, 2026 at 11:11 AM.