Using June 2023 data from the Economic Policy Institute's family budget calculator, Reddit user TA-MajestyPalm mapped the monthly budget needed for a single adult to eat a healthy, balanced meal in each of the US counties.
The budget calculator is based on the USDA's low-cost plan for a nutritious diet, which assumes that "almost all food is bought at a grocery store and then prepared at home." Single-person households are represented by an average of the data for both males and females aged 19 to 50.
The cost of eating well exceeds $500 a month in six counties: Leelanau County, Michigan ($735); Crook County, Oregon ($576); New York County ($555); Kalawao County, Hawaii ($516); Maui County, Hawaii ($516); and Wheeler County, Oregon ($507).
Rounding off the top ten most expensive counties are Teton County, Wyoming ($500) and California's Marin County ($490), Harney County ($482) and Nevada County ($481).
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Via u/TA-MajestyPalm.