Finally, used car prices are starting to fall. The January Consumer Price Index (CPI) shows the cost of used cars declined 3.4% since December.
However, the price you will pay for the same model used car or truck can vary widely, depending on where you live. Data compiled by iSeeCars.com show there is a $10,000 difference in the price of a used car between the cheapest and most expensive states.
“Price is ultimately a reflection of supply versus demand, with smaller New England states like New Hampshire and Vermont having plenty of used cars relative to their populations,” Karl Brauer, executive analyst at iSeeCars.com, told ConsumerAffairs. “The opposite is true in many central and western states, with too many buyers and not enough vehicles to go around.”
Taxes also play a role the cost of a vehicle. States with low sales taxes can reduce the cost by several hundred dollars on an expensive vehicle.
But can you actually shop for a used car or truck in another state? If you can save thousands of dollars, you can. And you don’t have to travel to that state to complete the purchase. An auto transport service can deliver the vehicle to your driveway.
How the states rank
Here is how all 50 states rank when it comes to average used car prices.
| 1.Vermont | $31,445 | 26. Utah | $34,580 |
| 2. New Hampshire | $31,833 | 27. Tennessee | $34,658 |
| 3. Ohio | $32,267 | 28. North Carolina | $34,725 |
| 4. Hawaii | $32,381 | 29. Nevada | $34,859 |
| 5. Rhode Island | $32,789 | 30. South Carolina | $35,015 |
| 6. Delaware | $32,924 | 31. Texas | $35,061 |
| 7. Indiana | $32,936 | 32. Nebraska | $35,064 |
| 8. Connecticut | $32,991 | 33. New Mexico | $35,189 |
| 9. Pennsylvania | $33,097 | 34. Illinois | $35,217 |
| 10. Massachusetts | $33,232 | 35. Colorado | $35,269 |
| 11. New York | $33,246 | 36. Kansas | $35,323 |
| 12. Maryland | $33,377 | 37. Oklahoma | $35,509 |
| 13. Missouri | $33,596 | 38. Oregon | $35,556 |
| 14. Michigan | $33,597 | 39. Iowa | $35,750 |
| 15. Virginia | $33,724 | 40. California | $35,759 |
| 16. Maine | $33,758 | 41. Louisiana | $35,893 |
| 17. Minnesota | $33,758 | 42. Georgia | $36,016 |
| 18. West Virginia | $33,761 | 43. Washington | $36,119 |
| 19. New Jersey | $33,936 | 44. Arkansas | $36,343 |
| 20. Wisconsin | $34,018 | 45. Idaho | $37,092 |
| 21. Mississippi | $34,130 | 46. South Dakota | $37,192 |
| 22. Kentucky | $34,176 | 47. North Dakota | $37,773 |
| 23. Alabama | $34,206 | 48. Montana | $38,943 |
| 24. Arizona | $34,413 | 49. Alaska | $40,462 |
| 25. Florida | $34,519 | 50. Wyoming | $41,405 |