Healthy eating has become largely unaffordable due to the high cost of perishable goods, supply chain inefficiencies, food deserts/swamps, and a lack of subsidies for nutrient-dense foods compared to processed alternatives. Inflation, extreme weather disrupting harvests, and the high labor costs of producing fresh food make healthy options significantly more expensive than calorie-dense, shelf-stable junk food.
Additionally, some studies have highlighted that “healthy” branding can increase prices, similar to luxury goods, and that the “junk food is cheap because it can be bought, produced, stored, and delivered in bulk”. With some arguing that the price of “healthy” food is driven by the fact that it is, essentially, a “premium” product.
Another study found that eating a healthy diet is, on average, more than four times the cost of a basic, calorie-sufficient diet. And some online discussions chat over the fact that while some healthy staples like rice, beans, and eggs can be affordable, maintaining a diet high in fresh, high-quality proteins and produce is significantly more challenging.
US States Where Eating Healthy Is No Longer Affordable
The February 2026 report on American daily diets found that North Dakota residents struggle the most to eat healthily. As debates continue over grocery prices, a new study by the supplements brand Ben’s Natural Health shows where residents find it hardest to get and afford fruits, vegetables, and other fresh products.
Key Findings
- Eating healthy is hardest in North Dakota, where there are only 13 farmers’ markets and fresh food costs more than half of the monthly pay.
- Mississippi records one of the highest obesity rates at over 40%, with just 4% of residents eating vegetables and fruits.
- Alaskans pay the steepest grocery prices, with annual expenses for maintaining a balanced diet reaching $12K.
Methodology
The research examined how easy it is to maintain eating a healthy diet in each state by looking at the main dietary factors. These included how often residents eat fruits and vegetables and the availability of farmers’ markets in each area. The study also considered obesity rates and how much of a typical monthly income is spent on healthy groceries. States were then scored on a scale from 0 to 100, with lower scores indicating that nutritious food is less accessible and more expensive.
The 10 States with the Poorest Access to Healthy Food
| State | Fruit and Vegetable Consumption | Farmer’s Market Availability | Obesity Rate | Affordability (% of Avg Salary) | Healthy Food Access Index |
| North Dakota | 6.30% | 13 | 36.80 | 51.28% | 20.07 |
| Mississippi | 4.10% | 120 | 40.40 | 19.35% | 24.12 |
| South Dakota | 6.70% | 34 | 37.00 | 41.44% | 25.28 |
| Wyoming | 6.30% | 86 | 32.50 | 59.57% | 25.80 |
| Alaska | 8.90% | 2 | 34.00 | 60.97% | 27.44 |
| West Virginia | 5.10% | 461 | 41.40 | 30.52% | 32.00 |
| Oklahoma | 3.80% | 134 | 36.80 | 11.31% | 32.29 |
| Nebraska | 6.90% | 49 | 37.60 | 20.16% | 33.50 |
| Louisiana | 6.20% | 84 | 39.20 | 10.69% | 33.86 |
| New Mexico | 6.20% | 28 | 34.50 | 23.80% | 34.24 |
You can access the complete research findings here.
A Closer Look at the Top 5
1. North Dakota
- Fruit and vegetable consumption: 6.3% of adults eat produce regularly
- Farmers’ market availability: 13 markets
- Obesity rate: 36.8%
- Affordability: Healthy eating costs 51% of the monthly income
North Dakota is the state where eating healthy is the hardest. Residents here spend more than half their monthly pay on nutritious food, the highest share in America, which makes maintaining a balanced diet nearly impossible for many. The state also has just 13 farmers’ markets in total, giving people very few options for buying fresh produce close to home. With such poor access and high costs, only about 6% of locals eat fruits and vegetables regularly, while over one-third of the population deals with obesity.
2. Mississippi
Mississippi comes second with the nation’s highest obesity rate at 40%. About 4% of residents here eat produce regularly, the lowest rate in the country, which explains the widespread weight problems. One reason could be that locals don’t have sufficient access to fresh produce. The state has 120 outdoor markets, but this remains far below what’s needed for a population of 3 million people. For comparison, West Virginia, with half the population, has over 460 markets.
3. South Dakota
South Dakota ranks third among states where getting nutritious food is hardest. Healthy eating here takes more than 40% of local salaries, leaving little money for other necessities once families stock up on vegetables and fruits. The region has only 34 local food markets serving the entire state, which also means most residents need to travel long distances to find fresh produce. While 7% of South Dakotans still manage to eat produce regularly, 37% struggle with obesity.
4. Wyoming
Wyoming takes fourth place with healthy eating costing nearly 60% of monthly pay, one of the highest shares in America. These prices force many families to skip fresh produce and buy cheaper processed alternatives instead. Wyoming has 86 farmers’ markets, more than the Dakotas, but this still works out to very few options given the state’s spread-out population. As a result, only 6% of residents eat fruit and vegetables, below the national average.
5. Alaska
Alaska rounds out the top five states where maintaining a balanced diet is hardest. Annual grocery costs for nutritious food reach $12K here, about $2K above the national level, making Alaska the priciest place in America for healthy eating. At this rate, the state residents have to budget over 60% of their take-home pay to afford nutritious food. Beyond that, the region has just 2 farmers’ markets, leaving Alaskans with almost nowhere to buy fresh vegetables and fruits locally.
The nutrition expert from Ben’s Natural Health commented on the study:
“Fresh produce has become unaffordable for most Americans. Over the past decade, grocery prices jumped by 25% while wages barely moved, growing just 2-3% in most states. A family that could afford healthy meals in 2015 now struggles to buy the same groceries on the same paycheck. The results of this are already evident: recent statistics show that 55% of Americans now eat ultra-processed foods regularly. For context, Europe has half that rate.”
On the Flip Side
On the other end of this food spectrum, we recently published an article covering the U.S. states where healthy eating is actually affordable, which pairs with this one. You can read this article by clicking here.
This article was created at the WHN News Desk in collaboration with Hope Davis on behalf of Ben’s Natural Health, a team of doctors, researchers, and dietitians working with the latest research to formulate high-quality, scientifically proven, and clinically effective supplements to provide effective support for your health.
As with anything you read on the internet, this article should not be construed as medical advice; please talk to your doctor or primary care provider before changing your wellness routine. WHN neither agrees nor disagrees with any of the materials posted. This article is not intended to provide a medical diagnosis, recommendation, treatment, or endorsement.
Opinion Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy of WHN. Any content provided by guest authors is of their own opinion and is not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual, or anyone or anything else. The Food and Drug Administration has not evaluated these statements.
