The average American driver pays $1,771 a year for full-coverage car insurance in 2026, but that single figure conceals a nearly 5-to-1 affordability gap between states, according to the 2026 InsureMojo State of Auto Insurance. Measured as a share of household income, the cost runs from 1.02% in New Hampshire to 4.85% in Louisiana on the Mojo Affordability Score, InsureMojo's proprietary metric. National premium growth has cooled to low single digits in 2026, a sharp retreat from the roughly 18% spike of 2024, even as states such as Maryland and Oregon brace for another year of double-digit increases.
The average U.S. driver pays $1,771 a year for full-coverage car insurance in 2026, equal to 2.2% of the median household income of $80,610. That share, which InsureMojo calls the Mojo Affordability Score, runs from 4.85% in Louisiana, the heaviest burden in the country, down to 1.02% in New Hampshire, the lightest.
- The typical American household spends $1,771 a year, or 2.2% of its income, on full-coverage car insurance in 2026.
- Louisiana carries the heaviest burden in the country: a $2,827 average premium eats 4.85% of the state median household income of $58,229.
- New Hampshire drivers get off lightest, paying $984 a year, which works out to 1.02% of the state median household income of $96,838.
- Measured against income, the gap between the most and least burdened states is 4.8 to 1, far wider than the 3.2-to-1 spread in raw premium dollars.
- Florida posts the single highest dollar premium at $2,912 a year, yet it ranks behind Louisiana on affordability because Florida households earn $15,082 more.
The 2026 Mojo Affordability Score, Explained
The Mojo Affordability Score (MAS) divides a state's average annual auto insurance premium by its median household income and expresses the result as a percentage. A national score of 2.2% means the typical household hands over $2.20 of every $100 it earns to keep a car insured. Raw dollar averages hide this pressure. An $1,800 premium barely dents a household earning $95,000, while that identical $1,800 swallows a much larger slice of a $55,000 paycheck. InsureMojo computes MAS for all 50 states and the District of Columbia from April 2026 premium data paired with U.S. Census median household income.
Consider the two extremes. A Louisiana household earning the state median of $58,229 pays $2,827 a year for full coverage, which equals 4.85% of income and ranks as the highest Mojo Affordability Score in the nation. Up in New Hampshire, a household earning $96,838 pays $984, just 1.02% of income. Those two states sit 4.8 times apart on affordability even though their premium dollars differ by less than 3 to 1, proof that where you earn matters as much as what you pay.
2026 State Rankings: All 50 States Plus DC
The table below ranks every U.S. jurisdiction by its Mojo Affordability Score. Click any column header to re-sort by premium, monthly cost, affordability, or how each state compares to the national average. The default view leads with the heaviest burden. For the national picture, see our average cost of car insurance guide, and check the legal minimums in our car insurance requirements by state breakdown.
| State ▼ | Annual avg | Monthly avg | MAS | vs. national | Cheapest carrier | Burden rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | $2,827 | $236 | 4.85% | +60% | Geico | 1 |
| Florida | $2,912 | $243 | 3.97% | +64% | Travelers | 2 |
| Mississippi | $1,472 | $123 | 2.72% | -17% | Farm Bureau | 3 |
| Delaware | $2,149 | $179 | 2.62% | +21% | Travelers | 4 |
| Kentucky | $1,580 | $132 | 2.59% | -11% | Travelers | 5 |
| Oklahoma | $1,599 | $133 | 2.57% | -10% | Progressive | 6 |
| Michigan | $1,652 | $138 | 2.39% | -7% | Geico | 7 |
| Nevada | $1,826 | $152 | 2.39% | +3% | Travelers | 8 |
| Texas | $1,799 | $150 | 2.37% | +2% | State Farm | 9 |
| West Virginia | $1,326 | $111 | 2.37% | -25% | Geico | 10 |
| Arkansas | $1,373 | $114 | 2.34% | -22% | Farm Bureau | 11 |
| South Carolina | $1,559 | $130 | 2.3% | -12% | American National | 12 |
| New Mexico | $1,388 | $116 | 2.23% | -22% | Geico | 13 |
| Georgia | $1,620 | $135 | 2.17% | -9% | Geico | 14 |
| Missouri | $1,486 | $124 | 2.17% | -16% | Auto Owners | 15 |
| New Jersey | $2,160 | $180 | 2.16% | +22% | Plymouth Rock Insurance | 16 |
| Arizona | $1,628 | $136 | 2.11% | -8% | Travelers | 17 |
| Alabama | $1,245 | $104 | 2.0% | -30% | AIG | 18 |
| Kansas | $1,389 | $116 | 1.97% | -22% | Geico | 19 |
| California | $1,861 | $155 | 1.95% | +5% | Geico | 20 |
| Pennsylvania | $1,407 | $117 | 1.91% | -21% | Travelers | 21 |
| Connecticut | $1,745 | $145 | 1.9% | -1% | Geico | 22 |
| Montana | $1,346 | $112 | 1.9% | -24% | State Farm | 23 |
| Colorado | $1,754 | $146 | 1.89% | -1% | American National | 24 |
| Maryland | $1,802 | $150 | 1.83% | +2% | Geico | 25 |
| Tennessee | $1,233 | $103 | 1.82% | -30% | Travelers | 26 |
| District of Columbia | $1,963 | $164 | 1.81% | +11% | Erie Insurance | 27 |
| North Carolina | $1,264 | $105 | 1.79% | -29% | State Farm | 28 |
| Rhode Island | $1,518 | $126 | 1.79% | -14% | State Farm | 29 |
| Nebraska | $1,320 | $110 | 1.77% | -25% | Geico | 30 |
| South Dakota | $1,269 | $106 | 1.77% | -28% | Progressive | 31 |
| New York | $1,435 | $120 | 1.75% | -19% | NYCM Insurance | 32 |
| Oregon | $1,376 | $115 | 1.72% | -22% | Progressive | 33 |
| Iowa | $1,162 | $97 | 1.63% | -34% | Travelers | 34 |
| Utah | $1,524 | $127 | 1.63% | -14% | GEICO | 35 |
| Minnesota | $1,310 | $109 | 1.54% | -26% | Auto Owners | 36 |
| Illinois | $1,189 | $99 | 1.48% | -33% | GEICO | 37 |
| Ohio | $990 | $83 | 1.46% | -44% | Auto Owners | 38 |
| Alaska | $1,278 | $106 | 1.45% | -28% | Geico | 39 |
| Indiana | $1,009 | $84 | 1.45% | -43% | Geico | 40 |
| North Dakota | $1,078 | $90 | 1.41% | -39% | Geico | 41 |
| Wisconsin | $1,038 | $87 | 1.39% | -41% | Geico | 42 |
| Washington | $1,305 | $109 | 1.38% | -26% | Geico | 43 |
| Wyoming | $984 | $82 | 1.36% | -44% | American National | 44 |
| Virginia | $1,162 | $97 | 1.29% | -34% | Travelers | 45 |
| Idaho | $952 | $79 | 1.27% | -46% | State Farm | 46 |
| Maine | $908 | $76 | 1.23% | -49% | Travelers | 47 |
| Massachusetts | $1,193 | $99 | 1.19% | -33% | Geico | 48 |
| Vermont | $902 | $75 | 1.11% | -49% | Co-operative Insurance | 49 |
| Hawaii | $983 | $82 | 1.03% | -44% | Geico | 50 |
| New Hampshire | $984 | $82 | 1.02% | -44% | MMG Insurance | 51 |
Methodology: N=51 jurisdictions (50 states plus the District of Columbia). Premiums come from MoneyGeek (Quadrant Information Services) full-coverage rates current as of April 2026, modeled for a 40-year-old driver with a clean record, 100/300/100 liability limits, and a $1,000 deductible. Income figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 1-Year Estimates, Table B19013. Mojo Affordability Score = average annual premium divided by median household income, multiplied by 100. Burden rank 1 marks the highest share of income, 51 the lowest. Last updated May 2026.
The 10 States With the Highest Premium Burden
These 10 states ask the most of their drivers once income enters the picture. The map below shades all 51 jurisdictions by Mojo Affordability Score, from the lightest burden in pale green to the heaviest in dark green. For the dollar-only view, see our ranking of the most expensive states for car insurance, and for the coverage-gap angle, the states with the most uninsured drivers.
Each tile is a state, positioned geographically and shaded by its Mojo Affordability Score (premium as a share of state median household income). Tap or hover a tile for the underlying numbers.
#1 Louisiana, MAS 4.85%. Louisiana drivers spend 4.85% of household income on car insurance, the heaviest burden in the country, on a $2,827 average annual premium measured against a state median income of $58,229. The cost traces to the courtroom rather than the uninsured: the Insurance Research Council finds Louisiana litigates personal-auto claims at more than twice the national rate, the second-highest figure of any state behind Florida, which inflates settlement and legal costs that every policyholder absorbs. The IRC ranks Louisiana the least affordable state in the nation for auto insurance. For a full breakdown, see our Louisiana car insurance guide.
#2 Florida, MAS 3.97%. Florida carries the highest dollar premium in the country at $2,912 a year, which equals 3.97% of the state median household income of $73,311. Litigation again leads the cost: the Insurance Research Council reported that 22% of paid no-fault PIP claims in Florida ended in a lawsuit, nearly three times the 8% rate across the rest of the country, a pattern measured before the state's 2023 tort reforms. Roughly one in five Florida drivers carries no insurance, among the highest uninsured shares nationally. Our Florida car insurance guide covers the coverage rules and ways to cut the bill.
#3 Mississippi, MAS 2.72%. Mississippi shows how low income turns a modest premium into a heavy load: its $1,472 average runs 17% below the national figure, yet it consumes 2.72% of the lowest median household income in the country, $54,203. Nearly one in three drivers goes uninsured, the highest rate in the nation at 28.2% in 2023 (Insurance Research Council). The state also recorded the deadliest roads in the U.S. that year, at 24.9 traffic deaths per 100,000 residents. See our Mississippi car insurance guide for minimum-coverage details.
#4 Delaware, MAS 2.62%. Delaware drivers pay $2,149 a year, or 2.62% of the state median income of $82,174, and the pressure comes from geography and mandates more than from uninsured motorists. The state ranks among the six most densely populated in the country at roughly 549 people per square mile, concentrating traffic on the Wilmington and I-95 corridor where claim frequency runs high. Delaware law also requires non-waivable Personal Injury Protection on every policy under 21 Del. C. section 2118, layering a first-party medical benefit on top of full lawsuit rights. Our Delaware car insurance guide explains the state's PIP requirement.
#5 Kentucky, MAS 2.59%. Kentucky's $1,580 premium takes 2.59% of the state median income of $61,118, and its no-fault system sits at the center of the cost. The Motor Vehicle Reparations Act (KRS 304.39) requires $10,000 of Personal Injury Protection, and a historically loose "reasonable charge" standard let medical providers bill PIP claims above standard rates, the pressure behind a 2026 fee-schedule reform. Kentucky also carried one of the highest uninsured-driver shares in the country in 2022, near 19%. Compare options in our Kentucky car insurance guide.
#6 Oklahoma, MAS 2.57%. Oklahoma drivers spend $1,599 a year, 2.57% of the state median income of $62,138, and severe weather does much of the damage. The National Weather Service confirmed 152 tornadoes across Oklahoma in 2024, a new state record, and the state ranks among the top three nationally for major hail, the peril that drives comprehensive auto claims. Repair-cost inflation compounded the problem: the Oklahoma Insurance Department reported personal auto premiums rose 38.7% between January 2020 and December 2023. See our Oklahoma car insurance guide for storm-season tips.
#7 Michigan, MAS 2.39%. Michigan's $1,652 premium equals 2.39% of the state median income of $69,183, a burden rooted in its no-fault history. Before the 2019 reforms, the state mandated unlimited lifetime medical benefits with no cost controls, pushing the average PIP claim to $81,537 in 2019, more than twelve times the figure in other no-fault states, according to a Journal of Insurance Regulation study published through the NAIC. Heavy attorney involvement in metro Detroit and one of the country's higher uninsured rates keep the pressure on. Our Michigan car insurance guide breaks down the reformed PIP tiers.
#8 Nevada, MAS 2.39%. Nevada drivers pay $1,826 a year, 2.39% of the state median income of $76,364, and dense urban driving sets the baseline. The 2020 Census ranked Nevada the second-most-urbanized state at 94.1% urban population, behind only California, which packs crashes into the Las Vegas and Reno metros. The Insurance Research Council estimated 39.4% of Nevada motorists were underinsured in 2022, the second-highest share in the country, loading uninsured and underinsured-motorist costs onto everyone who buys full coverage. See our Nevada car insurance guide.
#9 Texas, MAS 2.37%. Texas drivers spend $1,799 a year, 2.37% of the state median income of $75,780, and hail leads the loss column. The Insurance Information Institute, drawing on NOAA storm data, counted 902 major hail events in Texas in 2025, the most of any state and far ahead of second-place Kansas. An aggressive litigation climate adds to bodily-injury settlement costs, while the state's roughly 14% uninsured rate sits right at the national average rather than above it. Our Texas car insurance guide covers hail-claim strategy.
#10 West Virginia, MAS 2.37%. West Virginia's $1,326 premium consumes 2.37% of the state median income of $55,948, and the hazard here is four-legged. State Farm data for the year ending June 2025 put the odds of a West Virginia driver hitting an animal at 1 in 40, the highest in the nation and about 3.5 times the national average of 1 in 139. Rugged Appalachian roads raise crash severity, and state law requires uninsured-motorist coverage at full liability limits on every policy. See our West Virginia car insurance guide.
The 10 Most Affordable States
At the other end of the table, these 10 states leave drivers the most breathing room. Low premiums help, but high median incomes do just as much of the work. See the full list in our cheapest states for car insurance guide.
Wisconsin, MAS 1.39%. Wisconsin drivers spend just 1.39% of the state median income of $74,631 on a $1,038 premium, and the savings come from structure rather than safety. Sparse roads at roughly 106 people per square mile, an at-fault tort system with modest litigation, and a crowded field of regional carriers hold loss costs down. Affordability here does not come from coverage compliance: the state's 2022 uninsured-driver rate of 15.1% sat slightly above the national average, per the Insurance Research Council. Our Wisconsin car insurance guide lists the cheapest carriers.
Washington, MAS 1.38%. Washington shows the income effect at work: a near-average $1,305 premium shrinks to 1.38% of a state median household income of $94,605, among the ten highest in the nation (Census, 2023). Low risk is not the reason rates look cheap here. Washington's uninsured-driver rate reached 19.1% in 2023, well above the 15.4% national figure, so the affordability ranking rests on the size of the paycheck more than the size of the premium. See our Washington car insurance guide.
Wyoming, MAS 1.36%. Wyoming drivers pay $984 a year, 1.36% of the state median income of $72,415, on the emptiest roads in the lower 48. The 2020 Census measured Wyoming's population density at about 5.9 people per square mile, the lowest of any contiguous state, which keeps traffic, congestion, and crash frequency low. A consistently low uninsured-driver rate adds to the savings. Our Wyoming car insurance guide has the details.
Virginia, MAS 1.29%. Virginia keeps insurance light at 1.29% of an $89,931 median income, helped by a $1,162 premium and a low-risk claims environment. The state's 2023 uninsured-driver rate of 12.9% ran below the 15.4% national average (Insurance Research Council), and Virginia avoids the concentrated hurricane and hail losses that inflate comprehensive claims further south. A competitive carrier market does the rest. See our Virginia car insurance guide.
Idaho, MAS 1.27%. Idaho drivers spend $952 a year, 1.27% of the state median income of $74,942, behind one of the best coverage-compliance records in the country. The Insurance Research Council put Idaho's 2023 uninsured-driver rate at 6.4%, the third-lowest in the nation behind Maine and Utah, against a 15.4% national figure. Low population density and few fraud or theft losses reinforce the low base rate. Our Idaho car insurance guide covers the cheapest options.
Maine, MAS 1.23%. Maine combines the second-cheapest dollar premium in the country, $908, with a $73,733 median income to land at 1.23%. The state also reports the lowest uninsured-driver rate in the nation, 5.7% in 2023, against a 15.4% national average (Insurance Research Council). As the most rural state east of the Mississippi, Maine sees fewer collisions and lower theft frequency. See our Maine car insurance guide.
Massachusetts, MAS 1.19%. Massachusetts pairs a $1,193 premium with the second-highest median income in the country, $99,858, for a 1.19% burden. Consumer-friendly rating rules help: the state is one of only four, with California, Hawaii, and Michigan, that bar insurers from using credit-based scores, and it also restricts age and gender pricing. A no-fault system in place since 1971 and tight rate regulation keep increases in check. Our Massachusetts car insurance guide explains the rules.
Vermont, MAS 1.11%. Vermont carries the lightest dollar premium of any state at $902, which works out to 1.11% of the $81,211 median income. The NAIC pegged Vermont's average auto insurance expenditure at $893 in 2023, roughly 30% below the national average of $1,282. Rural, low-traffic roads, minimal vehicle theft, and below-average repair costs all keep claims small. See our Vermont car insurance guide.
Hawaii, MAS 1.03%. Hawaii drivers spend just 1.03% of a $95,322 median income on a $983 premium, protected by the strictest rating rules in the country. State law (HRS section 431:10C-207) bars insurers from pricing on age, gender, credit, marital status, or length of driving experience. Safe island roads help too: Hawaii recorded 0.89 traffic deaths per 100 million miles driven in 2023, against a national rate of 1.26 (IIHS). Our Hawaii car insurance guide has more.
New Hampshire, MAS 1.02%. New Hampshire holds the lightest burden in the nation at 1.02%, a $984 premium against a $96,838 median income. It is the only state that does not require drivers to carry auto insurance, which draws a voluntary, lower-risk pool into a competitive market. Sparse population and safe roads back it up: the state logged 0.96 traffic deaths per 100 million miles in 2023, below the 1.26 national rate (IIHS). See our New Hampshire car insurance guide.
Year-Over-Year Movement: Rates Cool After the 2024 Surge
After climbing roughly 18% in 2024, U.S. auto insurance premiums have nearly leveled off in 2026. Insurify projects the national full-coverage average rises about 1% this year to $2,158, with a 4% increase in a downside scenario if tariffs on imported vehicles and parts push repair costs higher. The Zebra projects a national average near $2,256, with increases in 19 states and declines in 13 during the first half of 2026. The slowdown is dramatic, though the relief is spread unevenly.
Projected 2026 premium change, selected states
Source: The Zebra, 2026 State of Insurance, projected first-half 2026 premium change (representative midpoint of quarterly ranges). These are third-party forecasts, not InsureMojo data, and are limited to the states each report named as the largest movers.
The Zebra expects the steepest 2026 increases in Oregon, Maryland, and Utah, each facing high-single to low-double-digit jumps in the first half of the year. Vermont, Mississippi, and Minnesota are projected to see the largest declines, while separate rankings place Iowa (down about 6%) and Arkansas (down about 5%) among the biggest national drops. These movements are forecasts from The Zebra and Insurify; the rankings throughout this study reflect premiums current as of April 2026.
How the Mojo Affordability Score Compares to Bankrate, The Zebra, and Insurify
InsureMojo's $1,771 national average runs below the full-coverage figures from the three studies journalists cite most: Bankrate reported about $2,697 in late 2025, The Zebra about $2,256, and Insurify projects $2,158 for 2026. The gap is a profile difference, not a coverage difference. This study models a $1,000 deductible and a clean 40-year-old driver, while Bankrate's methodology uses a $500 deductible and a broader benefit package, which alone adds several hundred dollars to its average. Validated against the same five states, InsureMojo's premiums land within about 12% of Insurify's in four of them and below Bankrate's in all five, exactly where a higher-deductible profile should sit.
The Mojo Affordability Score is closest in spirit to Bankrate's True Cost of Car Insurance, which also divides premium by household income. The difference is the data underneath. InsureMojo aggregates its own city-level MoneyGeek and Quadrant rates to the state level, pairs them with Census median household income, and publishes the full dataset for reuse. The affordability ratio, not the raw dollar figure, is the number built to travel across studies, because every provider discloses a different driver and deductible profile.
Methodology
This study covers 51 jurisdictions: the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Premium figures come from MoneyGeek, which licenses rate data from Quadrant Information Services, the same rating-engine provider that supplies several national studies. Every premium reflects one consistent profile so the states stay comparable: a 40-year-old driver with a clean record, 100/300/100 liability limits, and a $1,000 deductible on full coverage. Rates were current as of April 2026.
Income data comes from the U.S. Census Bureau, specifically the American Community Survey 2023 1-Year Estimates, Table B19013 (median household income). The national median used for the headline score is $80,610. InsureMojo divides each state's average annual premium by its median household income to produce the Mojo Affordability Score, then ranks all 51 jurisdictions from highest burden to lowest.
One number deserves a direct explanation. InsureMojo's $1,771 national average runs below the full-coverage figures published by Bankrate ($2,697), The Zebra ($2,256), and Insurify ($2,158). The gap traces almost entirely to deductible and driver profile rather than coverage level. This study models a $1,000 deductible, while most competing studies model $500, and a higher deductible lowers the comprehensive and collision portions of every premium. The affordability ratio, not the raw dollar figure, is the metric designed for cross-study comparison, because every provider discloses a different profile.
Exclusions: the study does not adjust for vehicle mix, urban-versus-rural splits within a state, or driver age beyond the single 40-year-old profile. It does not incorporate usage-based discounts. The dataset refreshes every April. Methodology by Heather Wilson, InsureMojo.
Press & Media
Cite this study
The InsureMojo State of Auto Insurance 2026 ranks all 50 states and DC by the Mojo Affordability Score, a proprietary measure of average full-coverage premium as a share of state median household income. Premiums reflect April 2026 MoneyGeek/Quadrant data; income reflects Census ACS 2023 1-Year estimates.
Citation: InsureMojo. (2026). State of Auto Insurance 2026: All 50 States Ranked by Affordability. Retrieved from https://www.insuremojo.com/state-of-auto-insurance-2026/
Press contact: [email protected]
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does car insurance cost on average in 2026?
The average U.S. driver pays $1,771 a year, or about $148 a month, for full-coverage car insurance in 2026, based on a 40-year-old driver with a clean record and a $1,000 deductible. That figure equals 2.2% of the national median household income of $80,610.
Which state has the most expensive car insurance?
By raw dollars, Florida is the most expensive state at $2,912 a year. Measured against income, Louisiana carries the heaviest burden: its $2,827 average premium consumes 4.85% of the state median household income of $58,229, the highest Mojo Affordability Score in the country.
Which state has the most affordable car insurance?
New Hampshire is the most affordable state relative to income, with a $984 premium that takes just 1.02% of the state median household income of $96,838. By raw dollars, Vermont is cheapest at $902 a year, followed by Maine at $908.
What is the Mojo Affordability Score?
The Mojo Affordability Score (MAS) is InsureMojo's proprietary metric that divides a state's average annual auto insurance premium by its median household income, expressed as a percentage. A score of 2.2% means a household spends $2.20 of every $100 earned on car insurance. The metric reveals burden that raw premium dollars hide.
How is your data different from Bankrate, The Zebra, or Insurify?
InsureMojo aggregates its own city-level MoneyGeek/Quadrant data to the state level and pairs it with Census income figures. The $1,771 national average runs below Bankrate's $2,697, The Zebra's $2,256, and Insurify's $2,158 mainly because this study models a $1,000 deductible rather than the $500 deductible those studies typically use. The affordability ratio is the comparable metric across all four.
How often is this data updated?
InsureMojo refreshes the State of Auto Insurance study every April, when new annual premium data and the latest Census income estimates become available. This edition was last updated in May 2026, and the next refresh is scheduled for April 2027.
Can I cite or reuse this data?
Yes. The full dataset is available as a free CSV download, and every chart includes a one-click embed code. Reuse is permitted with attribution to InsureMojo and a link back to this study. Journalists can reach the team at [email protected].
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 1-Year Estimates, Table B19013, Median Household Income. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
- MoneyGeek, average auto insurance rates by state (data from Quadrant Information Services), accessed April 2026. moneygeek.com/insurance/auto
- Insurance Research Council, Uninsured Motorists report. insurance-research.org
- Insurance Information Institute, Facts + Statistics: Auto Insurance. iii.org
- Bankrate, True Cost of Auto Insurance; The Zebra, State of Auto Insurance; Insurify, Insuring the American Driver (for cross-study comparison).