The U.S. Coffee Index

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On any road trip across America, one must-have luxury is a stellar cup of coffee every morning. No matter where you are in the States, knowing where to find the best cup of Joe will make your journey go with a bang.

But how much will it cost to refuel (on caffeine) across the U.S.?

SavingSpot’s World Coffee Index 2021 highlighted the cost of coffee in every country globally, but this time they wanted to shift their focus to the United States exclusively. 

Data on the price of coffee was gathered from Menuwithprice.com by extracting menus and parsing out prices of coffee from nearly 10,000 coffee shops across 2,500 cities in the United States. Prices were extracted from coffee shop menus using regular expressions (RegEx), controlling for alcoholic beverages such as Irish coffee and menu items containing coffee but not hot beverages such as coffee cake. The number of coffee shops in each city was then revised using the count of coffee shops obtained from Yelp Fusion API. Hourly pay was taken as median hourly pay for “All Occupations” from the Occupational Employment series by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. For states, the state’s hourly pay was used, while for cities, the hourly pay estimate was that of the metropolitan area that the city belongs to. Populations of states and cities were collated from the U.S. Census Bureau. Data was collected in September 2021

Highest Concentration of Coffee Shops

According to SavingSpot top cities with the highest concentration of coffee shops per 100,000 people are in the coastal states or are themselves on the shore. Santa Cruz, CA, is a runaway winner with 402 cafes per 100,000 people. Florida’s Sarasota has 282 and two Californian cities Mission Viejo (281) and Santa Barbara (277), which aren’t too far behind.

San Francisco, CA and Olympia, WA – a city close to a known coffee mecca that is Seattle, WA – are also in the top 10, with 166 and 162 places per 100,000 people.

City	Coffee Shops per 100k
Santa Cruz, CA	404
Sarasota, FL	282
Mission Viejo, CA	281
Santa Barbara, CA	277
Myrtle Beach, SC	214
Portland, ME	204
Barnstable, MA	177
Honolulu, HI	171
Olympia, WA	166
San Francisco, CA	162

At the state level, the picture looks somewhat different, as the state with the highest number of coffee shops per capita is Hawaii with 41 per 100,000. The closest one is Colorado with 29, followed by the three states on the west coast: California, Oregon, and Washington. These three states are virtually tied at 24 coffee shops per 100,000 people.

Cities with Most and Least Expensive Coffee

Seattle and cities in Washington state have long had a reputation for their coffee culture. Call it snobbish, hipster, or top-class, one thing it seems to be is expensive. Five cities with the most expensive coffee in America are in Washington state, with Seattle in the top spot with $3.92 per cuppa.

City	Avg Price of Coffee, $
Seattle, WA	3.92
Olympia, WA	3.76
Kennewick, WA	3.49
Tacoma, WA	3.49
Bremerton, WA	3.32
Albany, NY	3.19
Spokane, WA	3.17
Shreveport, LA	3.17
Eugene, OR	3.13
Lafayette, LA	3.13

The most expensive coffee might be in the Pacific Northwest, but the cheapest is on the East Coast. Harrisburg in Pennsylvania has an average price of $1.18 for a cuppa joe.

Phoenix, AZ, has the second cheapest coffee with an average price of around $1.24. Several midwestern cities are on the 10 cheapest list, but the real surprise entry is Oakland, CA, with $1.37. It’s literally across the bridge from San Francisco, where a cup goes for $2.54.

City	Avg Price of Coffee, $
Harrisburg, PA	1.18
Kissimmee, FL	1.24
Phoenix, AZ	1.25
Gainesville, FL	1.28
Des Moines, IA	1.28
Ann Arbor, MI	1.33
Dayton, OH	1.35
Oakland, CA	1.37
Atlantic City, NJ	1.39
Davenport, IA	1.39

Cities with Most and Least Affordable Coffee

For how expensive the coffee is in cities in the state of Washington, it appears to be affordable given the average pay in those areas because none of those cities are in the table below.

Compared to the median hourly pay, coffee prices are highest in Albany, NY, Lafayette, LA, and Shreveport, LA – cities with some of the most expensive coffee, where its price reaches up to 20% of what most people make in an hour.

On the other hand, the most affordable coffee is in Oakland, CA. Likely the case of Californian and Bay-Area adjacent salaries outpacing coffee prices, or perhaps coffee culture not being in the advanced/innovative/hipster (delete as appropriate) stages to warrant a high price. Newark, NJ and Trenton, NJ, likely have a similar situation. Being a stone’s throw away from New York City, people’s incomes are relatively high, while the coffee culture, i.e., proliferation of expensive,
artisanal coffee shops haven’t quite reached critical mass.

The Coffee index

City	Coffee Shops per 100k	Coffee Price	Espresso Price	Latte Price	Affordability (% hourly pay)
Oakland, CA	138	1.37	2.08	3.08	4.6
Nashua, NH	72	1.42	2.82	2.93	5.2
Newark, NJ	66	1.45	2.34	3.09	5.8
Harrisburg, PA	116	1.18	1.8	2.07	5.8
Ann Arbor, MI	94	1.33	1.11	2.63	5.9
Des Moines, IA	31	1.28	1.37	2.57	6
Phoenix, AZ	10	1.25	2.37	2.73	6.3
Jersey City, NJ	147	1.6	2.52	3.02	6.4
Trenton, NJ	63	1.73	2.38	2.92	6.5
Providence, RI	57	1.5	1.87	3.29	6.8
Dayton, OH	49	1.35	1.88	2.55	6.8
Gainesville, FL	53	1.28	2.8	2.8	6.9
Kissimmee, FL	119	1.24	1.63	2.45	7
Sacramento, CA	36	1.63	2.62	3.7	7.1
Richmond, VA	32	1.48	1.52	3.57	7.1
Cedar Rapids, IA	31	1.46	1.48	2.2	7.1
Aurora, CO	25	1.73	1.55	2.78	7.2
Kansas City, MO	19	1.5	1.55	2.6	7.2
Cleveland, OH	18	1.5	1.42	3.02	7.3
Davenport, IA	36	1.39	1.34	2.61	7.3
Arlington, VA	127	2.19	2.35	3.72	7.5
Atlantic City, NJ	138	1.39	2.69	2.98	7.5
Glendale, AZ	32	1.73	2.4	2.95	7.9
Detroit, MI	12	1.7	1.86	3.31	7.9
Antioch, CA	111	2.38	2.13	3.49	8
Overland Park, KS	41	1.66	1.55	2.58	8
Springfield, MO	47	1.53	1.6	2.51	8
Akron, OH	17	1.59	2.29	3.07	8.2
San Jose, CA	42	2.78	2.45	3.35	8.3
Tampa, FL	25	1.58	1.75	2.77	8.4
Hialeah, FL	61	1.57	1.1	2.88	8.4
San Francisco, CA	162	2.52	2.36	3.41	8.5
Fargo, ND	39	1.75	1.53	2.7	8.5
Grand Rapids, MI	44	1.62	1.6	2.09	8.5
Lorain, OH	45	1.76	1.34	2.86	8.6
St. Louis, MO	37	1.73	1.84	2.51	8.6
Poughkeepsie, NY	107	2.19	2.41	3.58	8.8
Buffalo, NY	28	1.8	2.52	3.02	8.9
Avondale, AZ	83	1.77	2.63	3.03	8.9
Youngstown, OH	25	1.49	1.54	2.94	8.9
Denver, CO	51	2.16	2.39	3.25	9
Irvine, CA	85	1.97	2.25	2.47	9
Chandler, AZ	26	1.78	2.75	3.56	9
Peoria, AZ	41	1.8	2.75	2.75	9.1
Lexington, KY	21	1.73	2.59	3.21	9.2
Fremont, CA	110	2.75	2.5	3.3	9.3
Lansing, MI	29	1.99	1.15	3.55	9.3
Austin, TX	19	1.97	1.48	3.12	9.3
Toledo, OH	13	1.75	1.65	3.59	9.3
Tucson, AZ	19	1.75	2.68	3.44	9.4
Yonkers, NY	53	2.37	2.41	3.21	9.5
Huntington, WV	36	1.62	1.65	3.37	9.5
Bridgeport, CT	59	2.57	1.85	3.59	9.6
New Haven, CT	55	2.24	1.42	3.32	9.6
Greensboro, NC	23	1.75	1.83	2.09	9.6
Newport News, VA	27	1.96	2.51	3.2	9.8
Scottsdale, AZ	27	1.95	2.79	2.95	9.8
Tempe, AZ	86	1.95	2.59	2.15	9.8
Danbury, CT	66	2.66	1.85	3.5	9.9
Anchorage, AK	26	2.39	1.25	3.48	9.9
Madison, WI	35	2.27	2.14	3.16	10
Wilmington, NC	68	2.23	1.62	3.11	10
Portland, ME	204	2.13	2.38	3.49	10
Virginia Beach, VA	13	2.01	2.5	3.08	10.1
Louisville, KY	10	1.91	2.7	3.28	10.1
St. Paul, MN	27	2.44	1.71	2.69	10.2
Canton, OH	23	1.75	1.25	3.03	10.2
Columbus, OH	9	1.65	1.55	3.76	10.2
Honolulu, HI	171	2.41	1.49	3	10.4
Fort Collins, CO	69	2.23	1.88	3.27	10.6
Chesapeake, VA	15	2.11	2.41	3.51	10.6
Kalamazoo, MI	104	2.03	1.8	3.26	10.6
Durham, NC	27	2.54	1.95	3.75	10.7
Columbia, SC	52	2.5	1.75	2.75	10.7
Syracuse, NY	41	2.25	2.76	3.01	10.7
Reno, NV	64	2.05	2.01	2.93	10.7
New York, NY	15	2.71	2.66	3.89	10.8
Long Beach, CA	85	2.36	2.07	3.41	10.8
Murrieta, CA	133	2.36	2.25	3.26	10.8
Ogden, UT	103	1.99	1.31	3.17	10.8
Rochester, NY	47	2.47	1.61	3.69	10.9
Flint, MI	22	1.96	1.41	3.39	10.9
Santa Ana, CA	74	2.4	2.37	3.18	11
Arlington, TX	17	2.29	2.37	3.06	11.1
Santa Rosa, CA	97	2.53	2.37	3.52	11.2
Cincinnati, OH	37	2.25	1.42	2.63	11.2
Lincoln, NE	21	2.2	1.77	3.8	11.2
Aurora, IL	39	2.73	3.13	3.34	11.3
Anaheim, CA	115	2.48	2.1	3.42	11.3
Nampa, ID	33	2.06	2.11	2.59	11.3
Norwich, CT	83	2.64	1.77	3.59	11.4
Raleigh, NC	14	2.38	1.75	3.07	11.4
Grand Prairie, TX	27	2.35	2.48	2.97	11.4
Jackson, MS	20	2.22	2.21	2.81	11.4
Chicago, IL	35	2.52	2.41	3.33	11.5
Frisco, TX	60	2.37	2.49	3.05	11.5
Norfolk, VA	12	2.32	2.33	3.33	11.6
Barnstable, MA	177	2.57	2.46	3.21	11.7
Springfield, MA	26	2.48	2.13	3.18	11.7
Oxnard, CA	57	2.45	2.51	3.62	11.7
Dallas, TX	13	2.41	2.8	3.21	11.7
Omaha, NE	19	2.35	1.96	3.65	11.7
Augusta, GA	26	2.07	2.08	2.91	11.7
Minneapolis, MN	35	2.81	1.64	2.93	11.8
Chula Vista, CA	65	2.74	2.31	3.57	11.8
Santa Clarita, CA	66	2.58	2.36	3.32	11.8
Tulsa, OK	23	2.16	1.79	2.29	11.8
Savannah, GA	48	2.09	1.53	2.23	11.8
Waterbury, CT	32	2.76	1.81	3.45	11.9
Elk Grove, CA	82	2.74	2.37	3.62	11.9
Philadelphia, PA	29	2.67	2.4	3.9	11.9
Houston, TX	10	2.41	2.34	3.25	11.9
Palm Bay, FL	49	2.2	1.99	3.01	11.9
Roanoke, VA	47	2.16	2.19	3.12	11.9
Baltimore, MD	23	2.79	2.7	2.89	12
Oceanside, CA	85	2.79	2.4	3.57	12
Milwaukee, WI	7	2.51	2.53	3.09	12
Salt Lake City, UT	32	2.43	1.49	3.04	12
Oklahoma City, OK	15	2.25	1.75	2.5	12
Erie, PA	48	2.05	2.99	3.52	12
Jacksonville, FL	5	2.23	2.58	2.73	12.1
Hartford, CT	67	3.12	2.28	3.93	12.2
Fort Worth, TX	11	2.53	2.63	2.88	12.3
McKinney, TX	43	2.53	2.36	3.3	12.3
North Port, FL	50	2.19	2.22	3.16	12.3
Tacoma, WA	43	3.49	3.4	3.14	12.4
Huntsville, AL	27	2.59	1.75	2.85	12.4
Ontario, CA	92	2.36	2.29	3.65	12.4
Sioux Falls, SD	29	2.32	1.24	2.81	12.4
Henderson, NV	34	2.24	1.96	2.5	12.4
Las Vegas, NV	28	2.24	2.26	2.96	12.4
Garland, TX	29	2.56	2.19	2.85	12.5
Concord, NC	43	2.48	1.71	3.11	12.5
Round Lake Beach, IL	137	2.75	2.23	3.34	12.6
Gastonia, NC	43	2.51	1.83	2.95	12.6
St. Petersburg, FL	49	2.35	1.95	3.12	12.6
Boise, ID	40	2.3	2.35	2.8	12.6
Tallahassee, FL	36	2.3	2.17	3.57	12.6
Mission Viejo, CA	281	2.79	2.53	3.53	12.7
Santa Cruz, CA	404	2.77	2.56	3.31	12.7
Mesa, AZ	15	2.52	2.63	2.9	12.7
Portland, OR	54	2.71	2.65	3.78	12.8
Denton, TX	49	2.64	2.62	2.89	12.9
Huntington Beach, CA	110	2.84	2.09	3.15	13
Charlotte, NC	18	2.59	2.18	3.18	13
Reading, PA	49	2.55	2.05	2.96	13
Scranton, PA	38	2.32	2.36	3.21	13
San Diego, CA	16	3.04	2.42	3.55	13.1
Los Angeles, CA	19	2.87	2.59	3.82	13.1
Thousand Oaks, CA	139	2.74	2.37	3.15	13.1
York, PA	128	2.53	2.22	3.36	13.1
Wichita, KS	10	2.4	1.74	2.77	13.1
Vancouver, WA	21	3.04	3.32	2.85	13.2
North Las Vegas, NV	10	2.39	2.34	2.71	13.2
Gulfport, MS	29	2.36	2.1	2.98	13.2
Bonita Springs, FL	161	2.32	2.03	3.01	13.2
Salinas, CA	61	2.49	2.28	3.39	13.3
Pembroke Pines, FL	56	2.48	2.16	3.32	13.3
Winter Haven, FL	118	2.33	2.06	3.11	13.3
Deltona, FL	35	2.11	1.94	3.31	13.3
Glendale, CA	152	2.94	2.61	3.36	13.4
Irving, TX	39	2.76	2.54	2.98	13.4
Santa Barbara, CA	277	2.76	2.24	3.59	13.4
Colorado Springs, CO	14	2.7	2.35	3.66	13.4
Salem, OR	44	2.65	2.31	2.98	13.4
Spartanburg, SC	70	2.44	1.92	2.74	13.4
Columbus, GA	11	2.17	1.05	2.91	13.4
Bremerton, WA	130	3.32	2.59	3.85	13.5
Pittsburgh, PA	46	2.8	2.19	3.55	13.5
College Station, TX	74	2.38	2.18	3.06	13.5
Palm Coast, FL	44	2.15	2.02	2.97	13.5
Appleton, WI	57	2.64	2.26	2.94	13.6
Victorville, CA	45	2.59	2.31	3.18	13.6
Provo, UT	71	2.45	1.29	3.06	13.6
Port St. Lucie, FL	29	2.36	1.95	3.19	13.6
Concord, CA	156	2.72	2.28	3.61	13.7
Green Bay, WI	51	2.69	2.35	2.83	13.7
Charleston, SC	104	2.61	1.82	2.69	13.7
Stockton, CA	41	2.6	2.17	3.42	13.7
Fayetteville, AR	77	2.47	2.68	2.92	13.7
Corpus Christi, TX	17	2.33	2.62	3.25	13.7
Worcester, MA	41	3.09	2.02	3.15	13.8
Murfreesboro, TN	53	2.7	2.3	3.05	13.8
Albuquerque, NM	20	2.56	1.49	3.04	13.8
High Point, NC	28	2.5	1.86	2.78	13.8
Sarasota, FL	282	2.46	2.28	3.19	13.8
Cape Coral, FL	47	2.42	2.27	3.13	13.8
Rancho Cucamonga, CA	95	2.64	2.41	3.51	13.9
Bakersfield, CA	21	2.55	2.39	3.25	13.9
Seattle, WA	109	3.92	3.48	3.91	14
Indianapolis, IN	8	2.75	1.78	2.96	14
Peoria, IL	37	2.75	2.32	3.57	14
Allentown, PA	59	2.7	2.32	3.15	14
Hemet, CA	74	2.66	2.45	3.64	14
San Bernardino, CA	35	2.66	2.29	3.51	14
Atlanta, GA	36	2.87	1.92	3.06	14.1
Riverside, CA	27	2.68	2.22	3.33	14.1
Birmingham, AL	23	2.67	1.94	3.17	14.1
Lancaster, PA	139	2.66	2.25	3.13	14.1
Moreno Valley, CA	19	2.7	2.52	3.63	14.2
Hickory, NC	87	2.41	1.63	2.79	14.3
Killeen, TX	27	2.58	2.47	2.93	14.4
Greenville, SC	73	2.54	1.75	2.59	14.4
Fayetteville, NC	30	2.47	1.83	2.92	14.4
Pensacola, FL	147	2.46	2.32	3.32	14.4
Fontana, CA	44	2.76	2.43	3.45	14.5
Lakeland, FL	50	2.54	2.27	3.25	14.5
Plano, TX	18	3	2.4	3.15	14.6
Winston-Salem, NC	34	2.67	1.82	2.75	14.6
Asheville, NC	140	2.56	2	3.03	14.6
Nashville, TN	22	2.88	2.15	3.28	14.7
Modesto, CA	38	2.77	2.47	3.58	14.7
Fort Wayne, IN	21	2.74	1.79	3.61	14.8
Gilbert, AZ	35	2.95	2.95	2.99	14.9
Indio, CA	65	2.83	2.33	3.39	14.9
Memphis, TN	12	2.65	2.29	2.89	14.9
Orlando, FL	26	2.62	2.23	3.53	14.9
Lancaster, CA	56	2.83	2.34	3.16	15
Hagerstown, MD	80	2.75	2.21	3.65	15
Little Rock, AR	26	2.74	2.46	3.04	15.2
El Paso, TX	7	2.28	2.41	3.13	15.5
Olympia, WA	166	3.76	3.43	3.78	15.6
Spokane, WA	36	3.17	2.97	3.85	15.6
Amarillo, TX	9	2.69	2.39	2.95	15.7
Myrtle Beach, SC	214	2.28	1.72	2.5	15.7
Miami, FL	59	2.94	2.1	3.76	15.8
Fresno, CA	9	2.82	2.41	3.48	15.8
Rockford, IL	25	3.04	3.09	3.54	15.9
Evansville, IN	20	2.82	2.15	3.65	15.9
Knoxville, TN	33	2.81	2.06	2.13	15.9
Waco, TX	40	2.73	2.39	2.84	15.9
Chattanooga, TN	20	2.91	2.1	3.06	16
Mobile, AL	27	2.85	1.83	2.95	16.1
Clarksville, TN	18	2.66	2.35	3.32	16.1
Baton Rouge, LA	42	3.11	2.22	3.58	16.2
Fort Lauderdale, FL	147	3.01	2.53	3.77	16.2
New Orleans, LA	53	3	2.22	3.46	16.3
Kennewick, WA	59	3.49	2.63	3.65	16.4
Eugene, OR	70	3.13	2.17	3.75	16.4
Lubbock, TX	21	2.72	2.22	3.14	16.4
Laredo, TX	10	2.41	2.53	3.21	16.8
San Antonio, TX	5	3.08	2.4	3.15	16.9
South Bend, IN	44	3.05	2.13	3.52	16.9
Montgomery, AL	10	2.93	1.99	3	17.1
Visalia, CA	43	2.84	2.37	3.43	17.5
McAllen, TX	47	2.49	2.32	3.08	18.6
Brownsville, TX	19	2.35	2.21	2.98	19
Shreveport, LA	21	3.17	2.33	3.62	19.1
Lafayette, LA	47	3.13	2.16	3.64	19.1
Albany, NY	89	3.19	2.37	3.72	20.2

States with Cheapest and Most Expensive Coffee

Washington has the most expensive coffee in the nation, and by a lot too. With an average of $3.46 per cup, it’s 30 cents more expensive than Louisiana with $3.10.

The cheapest coffee, however, is in the Midwest. More specifically, in Iowa, where an average cup of coffee would cost you $1.38. Other states in the region put up a strong showing, with Missouri ($1.59), Ohio ($1.68), and Michigan ($1.77) all among the ten states where coffee is cheapest.

New England states also feature strongly with 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place occupied by New Hampshire ($1.42), Rhode Island ($1.5), and New Jersey ($1.54).

The map below shows the price of a cup of coffee in U.S. states

States with Most and Least Affordable Coffee

Comparing coffee prices to hourly pay across states, you see the Southern states being among places where coffee is least affordable. In Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, the price of a cup equates to 15% of an hourly wage or higher.

Curiously enough, Washington and Oregon make the list of least affordable states, likely because the state’s hourly pay reflects the earnings of people living in rural and urban areas. At the same time, coffee prices are derived from offerings of coffee shops in big cities.

States with the most affordable coffee are firmly on the East Coast and in the Midwest. The three states where coffee is cheapest compared to typical hourly pay are Rhode Island, New Jersey, and New Hampshire – all places where an average price of coffee is about 7% of hourly pay.

State	Coffe Shops per 100k	Avg Coffe Price	% of Median Hourly Pay
Rhode Island	9.7	1.5	6.6
New Hampshire	20.2	1.4	6.7
New Jersey	9.5	1.5	6.7
Iowa	5.3	1.4	7.2
Delaware	13.1	1.7	8.1
North Dakota	18.6	1.8	8.2
Missouri	5.5	1.6	8.5
Ohio	3.3	1.7	8.7
Michigan	5.1	1.8	9
Virginia	10	2	9.4
West Virginia	7.4	1.6	9.5
Colorado	29.4	2.2	9.8
Alaska	12.8	2.4	9.8
Arizona	15.6	1.9	10.1
New York	12.9	2.4	10.2
Kentucky	3.7	1.8	10.2
Massachusetts	12.7	2.7	10.5
Hawaii	41.3	2.4	10.7
Connecticut	11	2.7	10.8
Kansas	6.9	2	10.9
Maine	10.1	2.1	11
California	24.3	2.6	11.4
Minnesota	5	2.6	11.7
Maryland	5.2	2.8	11.8
Pennsylvania	7.7	2.4	11.9
Nebraska	14.4	2.3	11.9
Nevada	18.1	2.2	12
Vermont	21	2.5	12
Utah	16.1	2.3	12.1
Idaho	15.2	2.2	12.3
Georgia	5.5	2.3	12.4
Florida	16.7	2.2	12.4
Oklahoma	5	2.2	12.4
Wisconsin	4.7	2.5	12.8
Wyoming	14.3	2.7	12.9
North Carolina	8.6	2.4	13
Illinois	9	2.8	13.1
South Dakota	7.5	2.3	13.1
Montana	10.7	2.4	13.2
Texas	9.5	2.5	13.2
Oregon	24.3	2.8	13.5
Washington	23.8	3.5	13.9
New Mexico	9	2.6	14.2
South Carolina	8.7	2.5	14.3
Mississippi	4	2.3	14.6
Indiana	5.9	2.8	15.3
Tennessee	6.5	2.8	15.4
Alabama	4	2.8	15.8
Arkansas	9.1	2.6	15.8
Louisiana	10.7	3.1	17.7

Key Findings

• California is the state with the most coffee shops – 9,615
• The state with the highest number of coffee shops per 100,000 people in Hawaii – 41
• Harrisburg (PA) is the American city with the cheapest coffee – $1.18 per cup.
• Seattle (WA) is the city with the most expensive coffee – $3.92
•  The most affordable coffee is on the East Coast or in the Midwest – New Jersey, Iowa, and Rhode Island are where the average price of coffee is 7% of the hourly pay.