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VA Smokers Lose $3.6M Over Lifetimes, D.C. Has Nation's Second-Highest Costs: Study

Northeast and mid-Atlantic states are among the most expensive in the U.S. for smoking tobacco, according to a new study.

Cigarettes in an ashtray.

Cigarettes in an ashtray.

Photo Credit: Pixabay - Nabil Maaizi

New York topped the 2025 list from WalletHub called "The Real Cost of Smoking by State", with residents losing an estimated $5.4 million over their lifetime. Washington, D.C., Maryland, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island were also ranked in the top five.

The study calculated smoking-related costs by combining out-of-pocket expenses, lost income, increased insurance premiums, and missed financial opportunities, such as investing in the stock market instead of buying cigarettes. WalletHub estimates smoking costs Americans more than $600 billion each year.

Despite decades of research showing the medical dangers of smoking, nearly 50 million people in the U.S. still use tobacco products.

"Buying cigarettes for your entire adult life can cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars, but that number pales in comparison to the hidden costs of smoking," said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. "Over a lifetime, smokers lose out on millions of dollars they could have made if they'd invested the money they spent on tobacco. Smokers also tend to have lower wages, higher health care costs and higher home insurance premiums.”

WalletHub said smoking costs New Yorkers $113,055 annually and more than $5.4 million over their lifetimes. About $247,000 of that lifetime cost is spent directly on tobacco products, while nearly $4.2 million represents missed investment opportunities. 

Healthcare costs add another $276,000, and Empire State smokers lose more than $700,000 in income due to smoking-related issues. New York was also the most expensive state for smoking in WalletHub's 2024 report.

In the District of Columbia, which came in second place, smokers spend about $232,000 on cigarettes over their lives but miss out on $3.7 million in potential investment earnings. Smoking also reduces their average income by more than $18,000 each year.

With lifetime smoking costs totaling $5.3 million, Maryland ranks third. Smokers in the Old Line State lose nearly $10,000 due to secondhand smoke exposure and face yearly home insurance premiums that are $140 higher than non-smokers.

Fourth-place Massachusetts had the second-highest annual healthcare costs for smokers at $6,919. That number was only surpassed by Connecticut's yearly costs ($7,038), leading the Constitution State to its sixth-place overall rank.

New Jersey came in 12th place in the study, with lifetime smoking costs of $4,487,737. The Garden State had the third-highest income loss rate, with Jersey smokers missing out on $17,483 annually.

Pennsylvania was ranked 15th ($4,300,935 in lifetime costs), lifted by its 13th-place appearance for the financial opportunity and out-of-pocket cost metrics. Virginia was further behind in 27th place ($3,622,926 in lifetime costs) despite having the 11th-highest income loss per smoker at $15,705 each year.

WalletHub also said the societal cost of tobacco use goes beyond individual finances. Since 1964, smoking-related illnesses have killed more than 20 million Americans, including 2.5 million nonsmokers affected by secondhand smoke.

You can click here to see the full WalletHub study.

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