New York Smokers Are Spending $3,983 a Year to Maintain the Habit
New analysis by iSelect has revealed that smokers in New York are paying some of the highest prices in the country, with the average smoker spending $3,983 a year to maintain their habit.
The findings from the Cost of Smoking 2025 report, which analyzed cigarette prices, smoking rates, and spending across all 50 U.S. states, has unveiled the smoking hotspots and the nationwide cost.
With the average price per pack soaring to $14.55 in New York, it stands as the most expensive place in America to smoke. Despite a slight year-on-year reduction in smoking rates (-0.88%), residents are still collectively spending over $563 million annually on cigarettes.
By comparison, Missouri smokers are paying $8.03 per pack, and North Carolina smokers are paying the lowest at $7.95 per pack. These are the states that are the cheapest for smokers, yet both have seen smaller declines in smoking rates – suggesting that price alone isn’t the only factor influencing whether Americans quit.
| State | Current smokers in each State | Total average cost price per pack | Costs per smoker per year | Total spent by smokers | Smoking rate – percentage Change (YoY) |
| New York
| 2,058,331 | $14.55 | $3,983.06 | $563,468,111 | -0.88% |
| Maryland | 619,227 | $14.17 | $3,879.04 | $169,513,391 | -0.59% |
| Rhode Island | 120,811 | $13.43 | $3,676.46 | $33,072,011 | -1.26% |
| Connecticut | 338,849 | $13.24 | $3,624.45 | $92,759,914 | -1.13% |
| Massachusetts | 717,716 | $12.54 | $3,432.83 | $196,474,755 | -0.41% |
| Alaska | 111,288 | $12.37 | $3,386.29 | $30,465,090 | -0.93% |
| Washington | 747,860 | $12.13 | $3,320.59 | $204,726,675 | -0.82% |
| Hawaii | 136,408 | $12.13 | $3,320.59 | $37,341,690 | -0.79% |
| Minnesota | 594,930 | $12.10 | $3,312.38 | $162,862,088 | -0.52% |
| Illinois | 1,466,080 | $11.99 | $3,282.26 | $401,339,400 | -0.53% |
| Vermont | 76,344 | $11.91 | $3,260.36 | $20,899,170 | -0.78% |
| Pennsylvania | 1,837,177 | $11.86 | $3,246.68 | $502,927,204 | N/A |
| California | 3,203,562 | $11.71 | $3,205.61 | $876,975,098 | -0.04% |
| New Jersey | 914,841 | $11.41 | $3,123.49 | $250,437,724 | -0.54% |
| Oregon | 504,603 | $11.16 | $3,055.05 | $138,135,071 | -0.81% |
| Colorado | 587,137 | $10.85 | $2,970.19 | $160,728,754 | -0.79% |
| Wisconsin | 689,747 | $10.73 | $2,937.34 | $188,818,241 | -0.95% |
| Arizona | 796,004 | $10.69 | $2,926.39 | $217,906,095 | -0.97% |
| Maine | 179,036 | $10.52 | $2,879.85 | $49,011,105 | -0.81% |
| New Mexico | 264,465 | $10.42 | $2,852.48 | $72,397,294 | -1% |
| Utah | 188,767 | $10.16 | $2,781.30 | $51,674,966 | -0.71% |
| Michigan | 1,441,675 | $10.03 | $2,745.71 | $394,658,531 | -1.62% |
| Nevada | 394,177 | $9.88 | $2,704.65 | $107,905,954 | -0.07% |
| Delaware | 124,011 | $9.61 | $2,630.74 | $33,948,011 | -1.16% |
| Ohio | 1,842,396 | $9.59 | $2,625.26 | $504,355,905 | -1.38% |
| South Dakota | 124,347 | $9.57 | $2,619.79 | $34,039,991 | -0.91% |
| Arkansas | 491,610 | $9.48 | $2,595.15 | $134,578,238 | -1.89% |
| Texas | 3,139,192 | $9.46 | $2,589.68 | $859,353,810 | -0.7% |
| Kansas | 360,137 | $9.37 | $2,565.04 | $98,587,504 | -0.92% |
| New Hampshire | 161,207 | $9.34 | $2,556.83 | $44,130,416 | -1.16% |
| Oklahoma | 576,977 | $9.26 | $2,534.93 | $157,947,454 | -1.12% |
| Montana | 138,198 | $9.22 | $2,523.98 | $37,831,703 | -1.12% |
| Virginia | 1,047,461 | $9.11 | $2,493.86 | $286,742,449 | -0.84% |
| Florida | 2,577,420 | $9.07 | $2,482.91 | $705,568,725 | -1.6% |
| Louisiana | 776,192 | $8.87 | $2,428.16 | $212,482,560 | -1.06% |
| Iowa | 400,049 | $8.78 | $2,403.53 | $109,513,414 | -0.62% |
| West Virginia | 370,689 | $8.75 | $2,395.31 | $101,476,114 | -0.76% |
| Indiana | 1,059,118 | $8.69 | $2,378.89 | $289,933,553 | -1.58% |
| Idaho | 176,982 | $8.65 | $2,367.94 | $48,448,823 | -1.1% |
| Kentucky | 820,721 | $8.63 | $2,362.46 | $224,672,374 | N/A |
| Wyoming | 82,278 | $8.57 | $2,346.04 | $22,523,603 | -1.44% |
| Nebraska | 214,738 | $8.56 | $2,343.30 | $58,784,528 | -0.58% |
| South Carolina | 711,229 | $8.50 | $2,326.88 | $194,698,939 | -1.81% |
| Alabama | 761,140 | $8.48 | $2,321.40 | $208,362,075 | -1.45% |
| Georgia | 1,307,100 | $8.47 | $2,318.66 | $357,818,625 | -1.39% |
| Tennessee | 1,119,838 | $8.44 | $2,310.45 | $306,555,653 | -0.87% |
| Mississippi | 472,648 | $8.33 | $2,280.34 | $129,387,390 | -1.57% |
| North Dakota | 103,343 | $8.24 | $2,255.70 | $28,290,146 | -1.22% |
| Missouri | 948,726 | $8.03 | $2,198.21 | $259,713,743 | -0.8% |
| North Carolina | 1,320,956 | $7.95 | $2,176.31 | $361,611,705 | -0.98% |
| U.S average | 784,355 | $10.18 | $2,786.78 | $214,717,116 | 0.98% |
Calculations were based on a smoker consuming an average of 15 cigarettes per day – the equivalent of roughly 273 packs per year.
Cigarette Costs and Smoking Trends
Across the U.S., the average smoker now bears a significant financial burden, spending around $2,786 per year on cigarettes. This staggering cost continues to rise despite ongoing declines in national smoking rates, underscoring the economic impact of this habit.
States with the steepest declines in smoking are Arkansas at -1.89%, Michigan smokers have decreased by -1.62%, and smokers in Florida by -1.60%. These declines reflect growing recognition and public awareness of the health benefits of quitting smoking, including reduced risk of heart disease, cancer, and respiratory illness, showing that education and support can be more impactful than price alone.
How Smoking Impacts More Than Just Your Wallet
Risas Dental and Braces, leading Dentist Dr. Elizabeth Walton, highlights the often-overlooked impact smoking and nicotine products have on oral health:
“Nicotine causes an increase in caries and periodontal disease. Since it decreases blood flow throughout the entire body, the body has a hard time fighting off infections. This decrease in immunity is even an issue for things like the common cold and periodontal disease. Nicotine causes dry mouth which makes you more susceptible to dental decay and periodontal disease, as well. Smoking can also cause failure of dental implants.”
She warns that oral cancer is among the top 10 most common cancers, with smoking and smokeless tobacco carrying staggering risks:
“Smokers are 4 times more likely to have oral squamous cell carcinoma than those who don’t smoke. If you drink and smoke, you are 5 times more likely. If you drink and use smokeless tobacco products, you are 7 times more likely. If you drink, smoke, and use smokeless tobacco products you are 16 times more likely to have OSCC in your lifetime.”
Dr. Walton stresses the importance of regular dental visits, screenings for oral cancer, and cessation support such as nicotine replacement therapy or prescription medications.
Ways to mitigate oral health risks while smoking
- Decrease your smoking.
- Drink more water to help with dry mouth.
- Improve oral hygiene: floss twice daily, visit the dentist more often, and increase fluoride usage to help prevent caries and gum disease.
Why visiting the dentist is important for tobacco users
- Dentists conduct oral cancer screenings at every appointment.
- They monitor changes in your mouth and order biopsies as needed.
- Many are trained in motivational interviewing to assist with smoking reduction or cessation.
- Nicotine patches, gum, or medications may also be recommended.
If you’re interested in learning more about the countries leading the charge in reducing smoking rates, please see full research on our site: https://www.iselect.com.au/health-insurance/insights/countries-championing-the-smoking-decline/