Marijuana usage is prevalent in the United States, with approximately 22.2 million Americans reportedly using it in the past month. Various states have embraced marijuana legalization to varying extents over recent years–and many states who have not yet legalized marijuana still experience a high-volume of street sales. 

Needless to say, cannabis is in high demand, and people across the country buy it every day, regardless of the costs. There are some areas that are better for buying marijuana, though–and many other places where the cost is pretty high. 

To better outline the cost discrepancy and try to answer the question, “What is the average cost of weed in every state?”, we utilized a nationally recognized price directory to compile average prices for both high- and medium-quality marijuana.

Here’s the run down:

Average Cost of One Ounce of Marijuana by State

One Ounce of High-Quality Marijuana:

• The District of Columbia stands out as the most expensive state, with an average price of $597.88 per ounce.
• States with high prices typically have restricted marijuana use, such as D.C. (illegal for purchase), North Dakota (only legal for medical use), and Virginia (not legal at any level).
• In contrast, states in the West region with legal recreational use, like Oregon ($210.75), Washington ($232.90), and Colorado ($241.74), boast the lowest prices.
• The national average (including legal and illegal sales) for one ounce of high-quality marijuana is $326.06.

One Ounce of Medium-Quality Marijuana:

• The District of Columbia remains the most expensive, with an average price of $550.66 per ounce.
• Surprisingly, the order differs from high-quality marijuana, with South Dakota ($335.26) and Minnesota ($330.52) following D.C. as the next most expensive states.
• Mississippi ($170.22), Oregon ($187.09), and Washington ($196.82) offer the lowest prices.
• The national average (including legal and illegal sales) for one ounce of medium-quality marijuana is $265.58.

Average Cost of One Joint by State

One Joint of High-Quality Marijuana:

• A focus on the cost of one "joint" reveals the District of Columbia as the most expensive, at $13.92.
• Oregon ($4.91), Washington ($5.42), and Colorado ($5.63) are the least expensive states for high-quality marijuana per joint.
• The national average (including legal and illegal sales) for one "joint" of high-quality marijuana is $7.59.

One Joint of Medium-Quality Marijuana:

• Once again, the District of Columbia tops the list as the most expensive, priced at $12.82 per medium-quality joint.
• Mississippi ($3.96), Oregon ($4.36), and Washington ($4.58) offer the most affordable medium-quality marijuana per joint.
• The national average (including legal and illegal sales) for one "joint" of medium-quality marijuana is $6.18.

Breakdown Overview of The Average Cost of Marijuana by State (One Ounce)

The following numbers represent the average cost of marijuana (disregarding quality) in every state, meaning they may differ slightly from the average costs of high or medium quality marijuana represented above. 

Here’s how much one ounce of weed costs on average in every state:

Highs and Lows: Where is Marijuana Most and Least Expensive?

Most Expensive States (Average Price for One Ounce of High-Quality Marijuana):

1. District of Columbia:$597.88

Despite being illegal for purchase, D.C. has the highest average price for high-quality marijuana.

2. North Dakota: $405.46

Limited to medical use, North Dakota ranks second with a notable price difference.

3. Virginia: $366.75

With no legal status, Virginia secures the third-highest spot for high-quality marijuana prices.

Least Expensive States (Average Price for One Ounce of High-Quality Marijuana):

1. Oregon: $208.39

Positioned in the West with recreational use, Oregon offers the most affordable high-quality marijuana.

2. Washington: $232.78

Another state in the West with legal recreational use, Washington follows closely with low prices.

3. Colorado: $238.41

With legalized recreational use, Colorado rounds out the three least expensive states for high-quality marijuana. 

Resources

1. National Conference of State Legislatures, priceofweed.com