As we step into 2024, the landscape of cigarette prices in the United States continues to evolve. The average cost of a pack of cigarettes stands at $8.00, with significant variations across states, ranging from $6.11 in Missouri to $11.96 in New York. Translating to an average cost per cigarette between $0.31 and $0.60, the median and average cost of a cigarette converge at $0.40.
Geographical Disparities: Highs and Lows
- Eleven states, along with the District of Columbia, surpass the $10 mark per pack.
- 28 states maintain prices below the $8 national average.
- New York – $11.96
- Rhode Island – $11.71
- Connecticut – $11.60
- Massachusetts – $11.11
- Minnesota – $10.49
- Alaska – $10.46
- Hawaii – $10.41
- Maryland – $10.26
- Illinois – $10.16
- Washington – $10.14
- Missouri – $6.11
- Georgia – $6.39
- North Dakota – $6.55
- North Carolina – $6.58
- Mississippi – $6.78
- Idaho – $6.79
- South Carolina – $6.82
- Nebraska – $6.84
- Alabama – $6.85
- Wyoming – $6.85
- Which State Has the Cheapest Cigarettes? The state with the most affordable cigarettes in 2024 is Missouri, where a pack costs $6.11, well below the national average.
- Which State Taxes Cigarettes the Most? New York imposes the highest taxes on cigarettes, contributing to its position as the state with the highest average cigarette prices at $11.96 per pack.
- Which State Has the Lowest Cigarette Tax? Missouri boasts the lowest state cigarette tax at $0.17 per pack, making it the state with both the cheapest cigarettes and the lowest state tax.
- The average price of cigarettes in the U.S. has experienced a steady increase, climbing by $1.50 per pack since 2018.
- According to The American Lung Association, the average daily smoker, consuming 15 cigarettes a day, incurs a national average cost of $6 per day or $2,190 annually.
- In high-cost states like New York, the annual expense reaches $3,274.04.
- In more affordable Missouri, the cost drops to $1,672.61.
- Higher cigarette prices are concentrated in northern coastal states, the Mid-Atlantic region, New England, the upper Midwest, and the West Coast.
- Non-contiguous states like Hawaii and Alaska also experience elevated prices.
- The Southern and Great Plains regions consistently maintain prices below the national average.
- Cigarettes are subject to federal and state taxes, with some locations implementing additional local taxes.
- The federal tax rate remains stable at $1.01 per pack.
- State taxes vary, ranging from $0.17 in Missouri to $4.35 in New York and Connecticut.
- Recent years have seen tax increases in several states, with notable changes in Oregon, Maryland, and Colorado since 2018.
- A 10 percent increase in cigarette prices leads to a four percent decline in adult consumption and a seven percent drop among youth, according to The American Lung Cancer Association.
- Tobacco tax revenues in 2020 amounted to $12.35 billion, contributing to federal programs like The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and state-level initiatives.
- Approximately 14% of U.S. adults smoke regularly, with higher rates among males and in regions where cigarettes are more affordable.
- While overall smoking levels have declined, the Federal Trade Commission noted a slight uptick in cigarette sales in 2020.
- Smoking poses significant health risks, causing harm to nearly every organ in the body and contributing to over 480,000 premature deaths annually in the United States.
- Smoking-related illnesses result in healthcare costs exceeding $300 billion annually, averaging $17.26 per pack nationwide.
- American Lung Association. (n.d.). Smoking and Tobacco Use.
- Federal Trade Commission. (2020). Cigarette Report for 2020.
- The American Lung Cancer Association. (n.d.). Tobacco Policy