11 States Where Thanksgiving Turkeys Are Most Expensive This Year (Over $52!)

Home chefs across America are gearing up for the biggest feast of the year, and at the center of most Thanksgiving meals is an entrée that’s a time-honored tradition: the turkey.

But it also tends to be the most expensive part of the holiday feast, so our team at FinanceBuzz wanted to help give cooks a leg-up on their shopping by calculating how much they should expect to budget for their bird this year.

To determine the average cost for a turkey in 2024, we collected prices from multiple U.S. grocery stores across the country and determined how much shoppers in each state can expect to pay for a Thanksgiving turkey.

One thing to be thankful for: turkey prices dropped in 2024, with a 12% price decrease from last year to now. But in some states, you may still have to find ways to stretch your grocery budget. Here’s where you can expect to pay the most for your Thanksgiving meal.

Price: $34.85

According to the FinanceBuzz study, on average, Americans can expect to pay $31.16 for a 15-pound turkey this year — an average of $2.08 per pound. For residents of the Tar Heel State, the cost of the Thanksgiving staple is almost 12% more than this, coming in at a total of $34.85 for 2024.

Price: $34.85

Georgia ties North Carolina as the next priciest state for a Thanksgiving turkey. Lucky for shoppers, though, the cost of a 15-pound turkey saw a 10.3% decrease compared to last year. In 2023, you could expect to pay $38.85 for a turkey in Georgia. This year, you’ll be paying $3.50 less. The cost for a 15-pound turkey in 2024 is $34.85.

Price: $35.30

Minnesota produces the most turkeys of any state (40.5 million birds in 2023!), and residents will pay over $35 for one, which is about 13% more than the national average. While the bird costs less than it did in 2023 at $41.85, you’ll still be shelling out a pretty penny on your Thanksgiving meal in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

Price: $35.85

A turkey in New York will cost nearly $36 this year, which is over 4% more expensive than in 2023. Last year, the average price of a 15-pound turkey was $34.35. In 2024, you’ll pay over a dollar more for your turkey.

Price: $36.35

In Nebraska, a Thanksgiving turkey will set you back by $36.25, with the 15-pound bird averaging $2.42 per pound. Turkeys in the state increased in price from last year as well. While you would have paid $32.85 in 2023, a year later, it’ll cost you over 10% more.

Price: $36.85

Three states are tied for the fourth-highest turkey price in the country, and New Jersey is one of them. A 15-pound bird will cost shoppers $36.85 on average in the state, which is over 18% more expensive than the national average.

Price: $36.85

Like New Jersey, a Thanksgiving turkey in Montana costs almost $37. That’s over $5 more than the average price of a turkey across the nation as a whole.

Pro tip: If you’re looking for ways to cut costs while shopping for your Thanksgiving spread, brushing up on some smart hacks can help you save money the next time you go shopping.

Price: $36.85

Rounding out the top four, shoppers in Connecticut can also expect to pay $36.85 for their turkey, which comes out to over two dollars per pound. The good news is that this year’s price is two dollars cheaper than last year when shoppers had to pay $38.85 for a 15-pound turkey.

Price: $39.85

California comes in third place and has the most expensive turkey prices on average on the mainland. A 15-pound bird costs nearly $40 in the Golden State — over 27% more expensive than the national average.

Price: $44.85

Turkeys cost almost $10 less in Alaska than the top spot, but that still makes the bird more expensive than in any of the remaining 48 states. Residents of the Last Frontier also saw a price increase from $42.35 to $44.85 compared to last year.

Price: $52.85

Where will you pay the most for your Thanksgiving turkey? At more than $50 per bird ($52.85), residents of Hawaii can expect to pay the highest rate in the country for a 15-pound turkey. That’s nearly 70% more than the national average of $31.16.

Home-cooked meals are the best part of celebrating Thanksgiving. A good meal doesn’t have to break the bank, though. Here are some tips on how to save money on groceries:

• Earn credit card rewards at checkout. To get the most out of your shopping trip, use one of the best credit cards for buying groceries to get rewards on your purchases.
• Use helpful grocery hacks at the store. Groceries are a big expense for families of all sizes. Learning insider tips on how to spend less on groceries can help reduce the overall cost of your essentials.
• Use travel credit cards when visiting family. The days and weeks leading up to Thanksgiving are a busy time of year for travel. When you book trips, use one of the best travel credit cards to earn rewards for future holidays.

To determine the average cost for a turkey in 2024, we collected prices from multiple U.S. grocery stores across the country and determined how much shoppers in each state can expect to pay for a Thanksgiving turkey this year.

FinanceBuzz researchers recorded the price of turkeys in at least three grocery stores in each state. In general, prices were obtained from regional, chain grocery stores with multiple locations in a state (rather than smaller individual companies) or prominent national chains.

All prices were collected for Butterball-brand turkeys weighing between 12-26 lbs. Prices per pound in each grocery store were averaged to find the cost per state and multiplied by 15 pounds to obtain our final rankings.

According to a LendingTree survey, potential Thanksgiving hosts plan to spend 19% more on Thanksgiving food, drinks, and decor this year than last — but the holiday doesn’t have to gobble up your cash.

There are easy ways to keep more cash in your wallet despite rising costs. By doing things like shopping early, taking advantage of coupons and savings apps, and buying generic brands, you can still enjoy a Thanksgiving feast that’s sure to wow your guests.