The 10 most expensive states to buy a Thanksgiving turkey and the 10 cheapest

• Your Thanksgiving turkey might be more or less expensive depending on where you live.
• The average price of a 15-pound turkey for Thanksgiving in 2024 is $31.16.

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, many shoppers are worried about how the holiday will impact their grocery budgets, especially the cost of a turkey, which can vary depending on where you live.

FinanceBuzz ranked the most expensive and least expensive states to purchase a 15-pound Thanksgiving turkey this year. The study found that Americans can expect to pay an average of $31.16 for a 15-pound turkey for their Thanksgiving feast, or about $2.08 per pound.

The two most expensive states for buying a turkey — Hawaii and Alaska — are often considered to be the most remote states in the country with high transportation costs, while states with the least expensive turkeys also had lower average costs of living.

Other factors that could affect turkey prices in different states are the efficacy of supply chains, healthy turkey supply, and demand for the Thanksgiving staple.

However, while grocery prices are still high, there's a little holiday cheer to be found. FinanceBuzz reported that turkey prices in 2024 are down 12% on average from last year. CBS reported that the drop in turkey prices could be because of a return to pre-pandemic supply chain status and lower levels of bird flu in Minnesota, which has affected turkey supplies in recent years.

Here are the 10 most expensive states to buy a turkey, ranked, followed by the 10 least expensive states to buy a turkey, ranked.

We also included each state's cost-of-living ranking , as reported by Forbes, which ranked the average cost of living in each state from 1 to 50, with 1 having the highest cost of living and 50 having the lowest.

MOST EXPENSIVE: 10. Georgia

Young frozen turkeys on a table.      Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Cost for a 15-pound turkey: $34.85

Cost of living ranking: 25/50

9. Minnesota

Saint Paul, Minnesota.      Paul Brady Photography/Shutterstock

Cost for a 15-pound turkey: $35.30

Cost of living ranking: 18

8. New York

Parade participants walked behind a turkey float at the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 27, 2008.      Yana Paskova/Getty Images

Cost for a 15-pound turkey: $35.85

Cost of living ranking: 4

7. Nebraska

Omaha, Nebraska.      Walter Bibikow/Getty Images

Cost for a 15-pound turkey: $36.35

Cost of living ranking: 29

6. New Jersey

People dressed as turkeys attended the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2016.      Eduardo Munoz Alvarez / Getty

Cost for a 15-pound turkey: $36.85

Cost of living ranking: 5

5. Montana

Jeremy Janus Photography/Shutterstock

Cost for a 15-pound turkey: $36.85

Cost of living ranking: 31

4. Connecticut

Hartford, Connecticut.      Jon Bilous/Shutterstock

Cost for a 15-pound turkey: $36.85

Cost of living ranking: 9

3. California

Butterball turkeys in the grocery store.      Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Cost for a 15-pound turkey: $39.85

Cost of living ranking: 3

2. Alaska

A mountain range in Alaska.      Unhindered by Talent via Compfight cc

Cost for a 15-pound turkey: $44.85

Cost of living ranking: 6

1. Hawaii

A Thanksgiving turkey being carved on a dinner table.      skynesher/Getty Images

Cost for a 15-pound turkey: $52.85

Cost of living ranking: 1

LEAST EXPENSIVE: 10. Indiana

Indianapolis, Indiana.      Sean Pavone/Shutterstock

Cost for a 15-pound turkey: $25.85

Cost of living ranking: 35

9. Michigan

Buffalo Bills players ate turkey at Ford Field.      Nic Antaya/Getty Images

Cost for a 15-pound turkey: $25.85

Cost of living ranking: 32

8. Tennessee

Knoxville, Tennessee.      Grindstone Media Group/Shutterstock

Cost for a 15-pound turkey: $24.85

Cost of living ranking: 45

7. Kentucky

Turkeys inside a pen at Tewes Poultry Farm in Erlanger, Kentucky.      JEFF DEAN/AFP via Getty Images

Cost for a 15-pound turkey: $24.85

Cost of living ranking: 40

6. Ohio

Athens, Ohio.      Braden Moon/Shutterstock

Cost for a 15-pound turkey: $22.85

Cost of living ranking: 36

5. Illinois

Chicago, Illinois.      Sean Pavone/Shutterstock

Cost for a 15-pound turkey: $22.85

Cost of living ranking: 19

4. Texas

A person with a deep-fried turkey in Texas.      Brett Comer/Houston Chronicle/Getty Images

Cost for a 15-pound turkey: $22.60

Cost of living ranking: 27

3. Mississippi

Jackson, Mississippi.      Paul Brady Photography/Shutterstock

Cost for a 15-pound turkey: $22.30

Cost of living ranking: 50

2. Louisiana

New Orleans Saints players ate turkey after a game against the Atlanta Falcons.      Sean Gardner/Getty Images

Cost for a 15-pound turkey: $19.80

Cost of living ranking: 39

1. Oklahoma

Tulsa, Oklahoma.      Davel5957/Getty Images

Cost for a 15-pound turkey: $19.75

Cost of living ranking: 47