Fast food was once considered an affordable option for eating out, but over time it has increasingly become more of a luxury. Since 2014, fast-food restaurants have increased menu prices by 60%, nearly double the rate of inflation over the same period. As a result, reducing fast-food spending can benefit not only your health but also your finances.

To identify where fast-food purchases take up the largest share of people’s income, WalletHub examined the prices of fast-food burgers, pizza, and fried chicken sandwiches across all 50 states. The combined costs were then compared with each state’s median household income.

Chip Lupo, WalletHub Writer and Analyst

If you still want to fit fast food into your diet, it helps to have a solid budget. Since fast food is a luxury, we recommend adding it as one of the last parts of your budget, when you’re fitting in your “wants.” Making sure you have enough for essential expenses, paying off debt and saving for the future is more important.

1. Main Findings
2. In-Depth Look at States That Spend the Most
3. Tips for Saving Money on Fast Food
4. Ask the Experts
5. Methodology

Note: *No.1= Highest Spending

Mississippians pay more for fast food relative to their income than anyone else in the country. Buying just one fast-food burger, a small pizza, and a fried chicken sandwich costs residents 0.48% of the median monthly household income. For comparison, the same purchases would only cost 0.27% of the median monthly household income in New Jersey.

The main reason why Mississippi ranks first is that it has the lowest median household income in the country, at $56,447. When it comes to fast food prices, it actually ranks toward the bottom of the country. It’s in the bottom half states for both pizza and fried chicken sandwiches, for example, and it’s only the 32nd-most expensive for burgers.

However, since residents’ median earnings are low, fast food still costs a large percentage of their income.

Arkansas has the second-most costly fast food relative to residents’ earnings, with a burger, a small pizza and a fried chicken sandwich totaling 0.44% of the median monthly household income. While this percentage may not seem high at first glance, it adds up considering that it only accounts for three meals out of an entire month.

Arkansas is the fifth-most expensive state for burgers, but it also has the lowest pizza price and the second-lowest fried chicken sandwiches. The state’s high ranking for fast-food expensiveness is driven less by prices themselves and more by its fourth-lowest median household income at $60,773, which makes even lower-cost meals less affordable.

Louisiana residents unfortunately have to shell out a lot for fast food, as the state ranks as the third-most expensive for fast food compared to residents’ incomes. A chicken sandwich, a burger, and a small pizza costs 0.44% of the median household income in Kentucky.

Louisiana is the 33rd-most expensive state for burgers and the 35th-most expensive for chicken sandwiches, though it's ninth-least expensive for pizza. That means Louisiana has relatively affordable fast-food prices overall. Still, even with these moderate prices, residents end up spending a larger share of their earnings on fast food.

A key factor behind this is that, Louisiana has the third-lowest median household income in the nation, at $60,756. When this is combined with otherwise moderate fast-food prices, it results in residents paying a disproportionately high amount for their fast food.

1. Use coupons. Although fast food menu prices have risen substantially in recent years, you can get discounts that are comparable to the old prices by using coupons. The easiest way to get coupons is by installing the fast food chain’s app, but you may also be able to find other coupons online or in the mail.
2. Budget wisely. If treating yourself to fast food is something that you value, it’s essential to know how to budget well. That way, you’ll have a good idea of how much you can afford to spend, and thus avoid overspending. When you create your budget, consider adding fast food last with your “wants.” Cutting out other luxuries and growing your savings can also make eating out more often possible.
3. Don’t get delivery. It’s a pain to drive to a fast food joint to pick up your food. However, getting food delivered will make your food cost far more than it would if you picked it up yourself, between regular delivery costs, convenience fees and tips.
4. Eat out less often. Often the best way to save money is simply not to spend it in the first place. Eating fast food even slightly less often can save you a considerable amount of money. Cooking for yourself may be a little more time consuming, but it’ll probably be a lot cheaper too.
5. Join rewards programs. Some fast food chains have rewards programs that will give you free food when you’ve spent a certain amount of money or made a certain number of orders.
6. Don’t go crazy with your orders. Adding extra toppings, sides or desserts, or getting the largest sizes of everything, can make your meal get really expensive quickly. Since fast food meals are usually high-calorie to begin with, avoiding too many extras is also good for your health.

WalletHub turned to a panel of experts for additional advice on spending and budgeting when it comes to fast food. Click on the experts below to read their bios and see their responses to the following key questions:

1. What tips do you have to help people avoid overspending on fast food?
2. How important is budgeting when it comes to saving money on fast food?
3. How is the current social and economic environment influencing household spending on fast food?

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• Andrew Burnstine Ph.D. – Associate Professor, College of Business and Management - Lynn University
• Douglas Mikutel Ph.D., Economics Professor - St. Johns River State College
• Jennifer Logan Ph.D., CEER Director, Puterbaugh Professor of Economics - Southern Arkansas University
• John M. Thornton Ph.D., CPA, Founder, Getting Rich Right and Professor of Accounting - Vanguard University

To identify the states that spend the most and least on fast food, WalletHub analyzed the price of hamburgers, pizza and chicken sandwiches across the 50 states.

We summed up the individual costs of the components and adjusted the resulting figure to the median monthly income in each state, then used these results to rank-order our sample.

For simplicity, we considered the acquisition of only one unit of each component included in our calculation.

  Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected as of May 13, 2026 from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Council for Community and Economic Research.

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You can use the information and statistics below to learn more about the current gift card market, as well as how the market evolved and where it's headed.

1. Gift Card Sales Statistics
2. Gift Cards Purchase Statistics
3. Holiday Gift Card Trends
4. Monthly Gift Card Search Volume by Major Retailer
5. Factors Affecting Gift Card Purchases

Gift sales are projected to reach $247 billion in 2026, representing a 5% growth, and are expected to further rise to $321 billion by 2030, with an average annual increase of 10.61%.

The CARD Act prohibits gift card funds from expiring for five years from the date of issuance. The chart above shows the value of unused gift cards that have expired (in billions).

Fatherhood is a responsibility that has evolved significantly over time. In 1972, 85% of American families depended on a single income, typically earned by the father, who spent most of the week at work while mothers stayed home to care for the children. Today, 72.1% of married mothers are part of the workforce. While that figure still trails the 94.4% of married fathers who work, the gap continues to narrow.

Modern fathers no longer fit the traditional image of solely being the married breadwinner and disciplinarian. This shift has become even more noticeable in recent years, as many dads have temporarily or permanently transitioned to working from home and, in turn, taken on greater childcare responsibilities.

However, not all working fathers face the same circumstances. Those living in states with stronger economic opportunities and a higher quality of life tend to fare better than others.

To identify the best states for men balancing the dual responsibilities of parent and provider, WalletHub compared all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia across 22 key indicators of support for working fathers. The analysis considered factors ranging from the average workday length for men to childcare costs and the percentage of men in good or better health.

Chip Lupo, WalletHub Analyst

1. Main Findings
2. In-Depth Look at the Best States for Working Dads
3. Ask the Experts
4. Methodology

Note: With the exception of “Total Score,” all of the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of that state, where a rank of 1 represents the best conditions for that metric category.

[edu-info-graphic metrics="[edu-info-metric img='https://cdn.wallethub.com/wallethub/posts/172780/metric-1.png' header='Child-Care Costs (Adjusted for Median Family* Income)' left='Lowest | 1. Mississippi | 2. South Dakota | 3. Kansas | 4. Minnesota | 5. Georgia' footer='Best State vs. Worst State: 2x Difference | Mississippi vs. New Mexico' right='Highest | 47. Nebraska | 48. Washington | 49. New York | 50. Oregon | 51. New Mexico'] || [edu-info-metric img='https://cdn.wallethub.com/wallethub/posts/172781/metric-2.png' header='% of Kids Aged 0 to 17 (with Dad Present) Living in Poverty' left='Lowest | 1. New Hampshire | 2. Vermont | 3. Massachusetts | 4. Minnesota | 5. North Dakota' footer='Best State vs. Worst State: 5x Difference | New Hampshire vs. New Mexico' right='Highest | 47. Mississippi | 48. Oklahoma | 49. Arkansas | 50. West Virginia | 51. New Mexico'] || [edu-info-metric img='https://cdn.wallethub.com/wallethub/posts/172782/metric-3.png' header='Median Family* Income (Adjusted for Cost of Living)' left='Highest | 1. District of Columbia | 2. Virginia | 3. Minnesota | 4. New Jersey | 5. Illinois' footer='Best State vs. Worst State: 2x Difference | District of Columbia vs. Hawaii' right='Lowest | 47. Maine | 48. Alaska | 49. Nevada | 50. New Mexico | 51. Hawaii'] || [edu-info-metric img='https://cdn.wallethub.com/wallethub/posts/172783/metric-4.png' header='Unemployment Rate for Dads with Young Kids' left='Lowest | T-1. Nebraska | T-1. South Dakota | T-1. North Dakota | T-1. Utah | T-1. Idaho' footer='Best State vs. Worst State: 3x Difference | Nebraska vs. West Virginia' right='Highest | 47. Nevada | 48. Rhode Island | 49. California | 50. New York | 51. West Virginia'] || [edu-info-metric img='https://cdn.wallethub.com/wallethub/posts/172784/metric-5.png' header='Male Uninsured Rate' left='Lowest | 1. Massachusetts | 2. Hawaii | 3. District of Columbia | 4. Vermont | 5. Minnesota' footer='Best State vs. Worst State: 6x Difference | Massachusetts vs. Texas' right='Highest | T-46. Mississippi | T-46. Nevada | 48. Florida | 49. Georgia | 50. Oklahoma | 51. Texas'] || [edu-info-metric img='https://cdn.wallethub.com/wallethub/posts/172785/metric-6.png' header='Men Life Expectancy' left='Highest | 1. Hawaii | 2. Massachusetts | 3. New Jersey | 4. Utah | 5. New York' right='Lowest | 47. Alabama | 48. Tennessee | 49. Louisiana | 50. West Virginia | 51. Mississippi'] || [edu-info-metric img='https://cdn.wallethub.com/wallethub/posts/172786/metric-7.png' header='Avg. Length of Work Day (in Hours) for Males' left='Lowest | 1. Vermont | 2. California | 3. Rhode Island | T-4. New Mexico | T-4. New York' right='Highest | 47. South Dakota | 48. Louisiana | 49. North Dakota | 50. Wyoming | 51. Alaska']"]

Note: Median family income and poverty stats refer to families with kids under 18 years old with the father present.

Massachusetts is the best state for working dads, largely because it has great economic conditions for dads. For example, the median income for families with children under 18 and a father present is $129,500 after adjusting for living costs, which is sixth-highest in the nation. Massachusetts also has the third-lowest poverty rate for kids whose father is present, at 5.1%. In addition, it has the best parental leave policies of any state, allowing fathers adequate time off work when a new child joins their family.

Getting their children a solid education and good child care is naturally a big concern for working dads. Massachusetts has the best school systems in the country, along with a relatively high number of child care workers per capita.

Finally, the Bay State is a great place for men’s health. It has the third-highest percentage of men in good or better health, plus the lowest percentage of men who don’t have health insurance.

Connecticut is the second-best state for working dads, with the second-best school system in the country and the highest percentage of child care centers that are nationally accredited. This ensures kids are well taken care of while their dad is at work.

In addition, the Constitution State has the third-highest percentage of working men who are economically secure, at 76%. Economic security means being able to meet all their basic monthly expenses while also growing their assets modestly.

Finally, Connecticut is a good place for men to stay healthy in body and mind, with 85.7% of men in good or better health and one of the lowest suicide rates for men in the country.

The District of Columbia ranks as the third-best place for working dads to live. It has the highest median income for families with the father present, at $147,300, and it also has the second-highest percentage of nationally accredited child care centers, giving working dads greater peace of mind during the workday.

D.C. is a place where both dads and their kids are able to stay healthy. The District has the highest share of men in good or better health and the highest share of physically-active men. It also leads the country when it comes to the number of pediatricians per capita.

To top things off, D.C. has resources that help fathers spend more time with their kids. It has the second-best parental leave policies in the nation, for example, and it is one of the better places for working from home.

As the contemporary working dad faces increasing challenges in his role as parent and provider, we asked a panel of experts to weigh in on the most important issues. Click on the experts’ profiles below to read their bios and thoughts on the following key questions:

1. What are the biggest issues facing working dads today?
2. How likely is it that men will take advantage of family leave policies adopted in New York State and elsewhere?
3. How can young fathers strike the right balance between career and family?
4. What impact does working from home have on fathers’ role in caring for children and housework?
5. Almost 1 in 5 stay-at-home parents are dads. What are the main reasons why dads choose to stay at home

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• Andrew Burnstine Ph.D. – Associate Professor, College of Business and Management - Lynn University
• Carole Makela Professor, Family and Consumer Sciences Education, College of Health and Human Sciences – Colorado State University
• M. H. Raza Creator of MCEM Programs and Associate Professor, School of Teaching, Learning, and Developmental Sciences - Missouri State University
• Cecilia (Cecy) Brooks Ph.D., MBA, Certified Family Life Educator, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology and Family Science - Mississippi University for Women
• Ray Petren Ph.D. – Associate Professor of Human Development & Family Studies – Pennsylvania State University Scranton
• Rob Weisskirch MSW, Ph.D., Human Development and Family Science, Professor of Human Development; Department Chair – California State University Monterey Bay

To determine the best and worst states for working dads, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across four key dimensions: 1) Economic & Social Well-Being, 2) Work-Life Balance, 3) Child Care and 4) Health.

We evaluated those dimensions using 22 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for working dads.

We then determined each state and the District’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample.

• Median Family Income (Adjusted for Cost of Living): Double Weight (~12.00 Points) Note: “Family” refers to those with kids aged 0 to 17 and in which the father is present.
• Share of Working Men Living with Economic Security: Full Weight (~6.00 Points) Note: This metric is based on the Basic Economic Security Tables (BEST) Index, which measures how much income working adults of different family types need to be economically secure. Economic security means having “enough income to meet…basic monthly expenses—such as housing, food, transportation and child care expenses—and save for emergencies and retirement.”
• Unemployment Rate for Dads with Kids Aged 0 to 17: Full Weight (~6.00 Points)
• Share of Kids Aged 0 to 17 (with Dad Present) Living in Poverty: Full Weight (~6.00 Points)

• WalletHub "Best States for Working from Home" Score: Double Weight (~6.67 Points) Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Best States for Working from Home” ranking.
• Parental-Leave Policy Score: Quadruple Weight (~13.33 Points)
• Average Time Spent on Child Care for Men: Full Weight (~3.33 Points)
• Average Length of Work Day (in Hours) for Men: Full Weight (~3.33 Points)
• Average Commute Time for Men: Full Weight (~3.33 Points)

• Day-Care Quality Score: Double Weight (~7.50 Points)
• Child-Care Costs (Adjusted for Median Family Income): Full Weight (~3.75 Points) Note: “Family” refers to those with kids aged 0 to 17 and in which the father is present.
• Pediatricians per Capita: Full Weight (~3.75 Points)
• Quality of State School System: Double Weight (~7.50 Points) Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “States with the Best & Worst School Systems” ranking.
• Share of Nationally Accredited Child Care Centers: Full Weight (~3.75 Points)
• Number of Childcare Workers per Children Under Age 14: Full Weight (~3.75 Points)

• Male Uninsured Rate: Double Weight (~2.22 Points)
• Men’s Life Expectancy: Double Weight (~2.22 Points)
• Male Suicide Rate: Full Weight (~1.11 Points)
• Male Mental Health: Full Weight (~1.11 Points)
• Share of Men in Good or Better Health: Full Weight (~1.11 Points) Note: This metric measures the share of men who reported having good or better health as part of a public health survey, data for which are collected and maintained by the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS).
• Share of Physically Active Men: Full Weight (~1.11 Points) Note: This metric measures the share of men who reported engaging in adequate or any physical activity as part of a public health survey, data for which are collected and maintained by the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS).
• Unaffordability of Doctor’s Visits: Full Weight (~1.11 Points) Note: This metric measures the percentage of men who could not afford to visit a doctor in the past 12 months due to unaffordable costs.

  Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected as of May 12, 2026 from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Council for Community and Economic Research, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Partnership for Women & Families, Institute for Women's Policy Research, Child Care Aware of America, United States Mortality Database, Knee Regulatory Research Center and WalletHub research.

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