When it comes to having a car, the purchase or lease price is only part of the story. All the essential extras like insurance, fuel and repairs quickly stack up, and it might come as a surprise to learn that the amounts people pay can vary by state.
The Car Ownership Cost Index 2025 from 5 Star Car Title Loans looks at those costs, normalizing expenses into a 0-100 scale, where 100 represents the most affordable state and 0 represents the least affordable. New Hampshire ranks as the cheapest state with an average annual cost of $10,213 and an index score of 100. Louisiana ranks worst with annual costs of $14,626 and a score of 0.
