Average Engagement Ring Cost in 2026 (Estimates by State)
The average engagement ring cost $4,600 in 2025, according to The Knot's 2026 Real Weddings Study, down from $6,000 in 2021. Scaled by each state's 2025 per-capita income, typical spending is modeled at about $3,250 in Mississippi at the low end, $6,100 in Connecticut among states, and $7,150 in Washington, DC. Rings with a natural diamond averaged $7,000 nationally and rings with a lab-grown diamond $4,300. The state figures are modeled estimates, not a survey of purchases.
Key Findings
Engagement rings are getting cheaper. The average fell to $4,600 for couples married in 2025, down 23 percent from 2021 and 35 percent after inflation, as lab-grown diamonds reached 61 percent of center stones. Scaled to each state's income, typical spending runs from about $3,250 in Mississippi to $6,100 in Connecticut, and $7,150 in Washington, DC.
Estimated Average Engagement Ring Cost by State
Estimated (modeled) typical engagement ring spending in all 50 states and Washington, DC: the 2026 edition, based on 2025 data. Select a state on the map, a tile below it or a row in the table. Switch between all rings, rings with a natural diamond and rings with a lab-grown diamond.
Small states and DC
- 15% or more below
- 5 to 15% below
- Within 5% of the US average
- 5 to 15% above
- 15% or more above the US average
United States
$4,600
Reported by The Knot for couples married in 2025
Select a state to see its modeled typical spending, rank and the engagement rings in our collection at that price.
State figures are modeled estimates, not a survey of purchases, an appraisal or a quote.
Estimated Engagement Ring Cost by State, Ranked
Every state and DC, from highest to lowest modeled spending. Sort by any column. Figures follow the ring type selected above.
| Index | vs. US | Region | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $7,150 | 156 | +56% | $119,772 | South |
| 2 | Connecticut | $6,100 | 133 | +33% | $102,307 | Northeast |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $5,900 | 128 | +28% | $98,700 | Northeast |
| 4 | New York | $5,450 | 119 | +19% | $91,504 | Northeast |
| 5 | Wyoming | $5,450 | 118 | +18% | $91,109 | West |
| 6 | California | $5,450 | 118 | +18% | $90,957 | West |
| 7 | New Jersey | $5,350 | 116 | +16% | $89,720 | Northeast |
| 8 | Washington | $5,300 | 116 | +16% | $88,944 | West |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $5,250 | 114 | +14% | $88,145 | Northeast |
| 10 | Colorado | $5,150 | 112 | +12% | $86,342 | West |
| 11 | Maryland | $4,900 | 107 | +7% | $82,387 | South |
| 12 | Virginia | $4,850 | 105 | +5% | $80,903 | South |
| 13 | Alaska | $4,800 | 104 | +4% | $80,510 | West |
| 14 | South Dakota | $4,700 | 103 | +3% | $78,999 | Midwest |
| 15 | Illinois | $4,700 | 102 | +2% | $78,987 | Midwest |
| 16 | Florida | $4,700 | 102 | +2% | $78,345 | South |
| 17 | Minnesota | $4,650 | 102 | +2% | $78,197 | Midwest |
| 18 | North Dakota | $4,600 | 100 | +0% | $77,438 | Midwest |
| 19 | Hawaii | $4,600 | 100 | −0% | $76,966 | West |
| 20 | Nebraska | $4,550 | 99 | −1% | $76,055 | Midwest |
| 21 | Vermont | $4,500 | 98 | −2% | $75,723 | Northeast |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | $4,500 | 98 | −2% | $75,370 | Northeast |
| 23 | Rhode Island | $4,500 | 98 | −2% | $75,233 | Northeast |
| 24 | Nevada | $4,400 | 96 | −4% | $73,767 | West |
| 25 | Oregon | $4,400 | 95 | −5% | $73,283 | West |
| 26 | Texas | $4,350 | 95 | −5% | $73,156 | South |
| 27 | Montana | $4,300 | 94 | −6% | $72,066 | West |
| 28 | Maine | $4,300 | 93 | −7% | $71,742 | Northeast |
| 29 | Wisconsin | $4,250 | 92 | −8% | $71,219 | Midwest |
| 30 | Utah | $4,200 | 91 | −9% | $70,323 | West |
| 31 | Missouri | $4,150 | 91 | −9% | $69,836 | Midwest |
| 32 | Tennessee | $4,150 | 90 | −10% | $69,274 | South |
| 33 | Kansas | $4,150 | 90 | −10% | $69,149 | Midwest |
| 34 | Delaware | $4,100 | 89 | −11% | $68,630 | South |
| 35 | Arizona | $4,100 | 89 | −11% | $68,373 | West |
| 36 | North Carolina | $4,100 | 89 | −11% | $68,274 | South |
| 37 | Ohio | $4,050 | 88 | −12% | $67,584 | Midwest |
| 38 | Iowa | $4,000 | 87 | −13% | $67,321 | Midwest |
| 39 | Michigan | $4,000 | 87 | −13% | $67,245 | Midwest |
| 40 | Indiana | $3,950 | 86 | −14% | $66,455 | Midwest |
| 41 | Oklahoma | $3,950 | 86 | −14% | $66,055 | South |
| 42 | Georgia | $3,900 | 84 | −16% | $65,111 | South |
| 43 | Idaho | $3,850 | 83 | −17% | $64,200 | West |
| 44 | Louisiana | $3,850 | 83 | −17% | $64,103 | South |
| 45 | South Carolina | $3,800 | 82 | −18% | $63,435 | South |
| 46 | New Mexico | $3,700 | 81 | −19% | $62,089 | West |
| 47 | Arkansas | $3,700 | 80 | −20% | $61,697 | South |
| 48 | Kentucky | $3,650 | 79 | −21% | $60,835 | South |
| 49 | Alabama | $3,550 | 78 | −22% | $59,754 | South |
| 50 | West Virginia | $3,500 | 76 | −24% | $58,217 | South |
| 51 | Mississippi | $3,250 | 71 | −29% | $54,433 | South |
Modeled estimates rounded to the nearest $50: the national average from The Knot's 2026 Real Weddings Study scaled by each state's 2025 per-capita personal income (BEA). Not a survey of purchases.
By region
| Region | Modeled average | Highest | Lowest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast | $5,250 | Connecticut ($6,100) | Maine ($4,300) |
| West | $5,000 | Wyoming ($5,450) | New Mexico ($3,700) |
| Midwest | $4,250 | South Dakota ($4,700) | Indiana ($3,950) |
| South | $4,250 | District of Columbia ($7,150) | Mississippi ($3,250) |
The Average Engagement Ring Cost Is Falling
The Knot's surveys show average engagement ring spending falling every year since 2021, from $6,000 to $4,600. In 2025 dollars, the 2021 average was worth $7,129, so the real decline is about 35 percent. The 2026 study links the shift to lab-grown diamonds: 61 percent of rings had a lab-grown center, averaging $4,300 and 2.0 carats, against $7,000 and 1.6 carats for rings with a natural diamond.
| Year | Reported | In 2025 dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $6,000 | $7,129 |
| 2022 | $5,800 | $6,380 |
| 2023 | $5,500 | $5,811 |
| 2024 | $5,200 | $5,337 |
| 2025 | $4,600 | $4,600 |
Average Engagement Ring Carat Size
The Knot's 2026 Real Weddings Study found that rings with a lab-grown center averaged 2.0 carats and $4,300, while rings with a natural diamond averaged 1.6 carats and $7,000. Lab-grown diamonds cost far less per carat, so couples who chose them bought bigger stones for less money, which is the main reason the overall average cost fell.
Source: The Knot 2026 Real Weddings Study (couples married in 2025), as reported by Rapaport and Business Wire, February 2026.
What an Engagement Ring Costs in Our Collection
Across the 490 engagement ring designs live in our collection, the median starting price is $2,149, less than half the national average. 94 percent of our designs start at or under the $4,600 national average, and configurations run up to $30,699. These are our published catalog prices, refreshed every night, not sales data.
Definitions: a design is one active, published engagement ring in our collection; most offer several metal and center-stone choices. Starting price is the lowest price of any configuration. Our 166 lab-grown diamond designs have a median starting price of $2,014. Natural diamond rings are made to order in Design Your Ring, where every natural center is GIA-graded: a ring with a 0.97 ct natural round starts near $2,904 today. Figures recompute from our live catalog every night.
Browse all engagement rings Design a ring with a GIA-graded natural diamond →
Methodology
National anchor. The Knot's 2026 Real Weddings Study surveyed more than 10,000 US couples married in 2025 and reported an average engagement ring spend of $4,600: $7,000 for rings with a natural center stone and $4,300 for rings with a lab-grown center.
State model. For each state, modeled spend = national average × (state per-capita personal income ÷ US per-capita personal income), using the Bureau of Economic Analysis 2025 figures (US: $77,028). The ratio is the Spend Index (US = 100). The same index applies to all rings, natural and lab-grown. Figures are rounded to the nearest $50.
Why it adds up. US per-capita income is the population-weighted average of the state figures, so the population-weighted average of the modeled state spending equals the national average ($4,600 in our build).
Why an income elasticity of 1.0. It is the simplest defensible assumption (spending rises in proportion to income) and is conservative: The Knot's own regional figures show a wider spread, as the check below shows. The ranking of states depends only on income, not on this choice.
What is reported and what is modeled. National averages, the lab-grown share and the 2021 to 2025 trend are reported by The Knot. State figures are our model. Inflation adjustments use the BLS CPI-U annual averages. Regions follow the US Census Bureau. The map uses US Census Bureau boundaries (public domain) via the us-atlas project. Price levels (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024) are included in the download for context but not used in the model.
Checking the model against reported regional figures
| Region | The Knot, 2023 (vs. US $5,500) | Model with 2023 income |
|---|---|---|
| Mid-Atlantic (DE, MD, NJ, NY, PA, DC) | $6,900 (+26%) | $6,100 (+11%) |
| Virginia and West Virginia | $5,300 (−4%) | $5,500 (+0%) |
| Midwest (12 states) | $4,900 (−11%) | $5,150 (−7%) |
The model points the same way as The Knot's reported figures for the Mid-Atlantic (above average) and the Midwest (below average), with a narrower spread, so it is conservative at the extremes. It misses the small Virginia and West Virginia group, which The Knot reported slightly below average. Raising the income elasticity to 1.5 would widen the 2026 range to about $2,700 (Mississippi) to $8,850 (District of Columbia) without changing the order of the states.
Limits
- The state figures are modeled estimates for editorial use. They are not a survey of actual purchases, an appraisal, a quote or a guarantee of price.
- Income explains only part of what people spend. Taste, age, local jewelry prices and the lab-grown share all vary by state and are not modeled.
- Per-capita income includes investment and transfer income, which lifts a few states, such as Wyoming, above where wages alone would place them.
- The national averages describe couples married in 2025 who answered The Knot's survey; the study's sample is not a census of all buyers.
Download the Data and Cite the Index
Quotable findings
- The average engagement ring cost $4,600 in 2025, down 23% from 2021 and about 35% after inflation (The Knot 2026; BLS CPI-U).
- Modeled typical spending ranges from about $3,250 in Mississippi to $6,100 in Connecticut and $7,150 in Washington, DC (Diamond & Sapphire Engagement Ring Price Index 2026).
- Rings with a natural diamond averaged $7,000; rings with a lab-grown diamond $4,300 (The Knot 2026).
- Across 490 engagement ring designs at Diamond & Sapphire, the median starting price is $2,149 (published catalog prices).
Free to use under CC BY 4.0 with a link to this page. Press questions: concierge@diamondandsapphire.com.
51 rows: rank, state, modeled spending for all rings, natural and lab-grown, index, per-capita income, population and price level.
Cite this index
Diamond & Sapphire. "Average Engagement Ring Cost in 2026 (Estimates by State)." Updated November 2026. https://diamondandsapphire.com/pages/average-engagement-ring-cost
Link to this page
<a href="https://diamondandsapphire.com/pages/average-engagement-ring-cost">Average engagement ring cost by state</a> by Diamond & Sapphire
Average Engagement Ring Cost FAQ
How much is the average engagement ring in 2026?
The latest figure is $4,600, from The Knot's 2026 Real Weddings Study of more than 10,000 US couples married in 2025. That is down from $5,200 in 2024 and $6,000 in 2021. Rings with a natural diamond center averaged $7,000, and rings with a lab-grown center averaged $4,300.
Which state spends the most on engagement rings?
In our model, Washington, DC has the highest typical engagement ring spending at about $7,150, followed by Connecticut ($6,100), Massachusetts ($5,900) and New York ($5,450). These are modeled estimates based on 2025 per-capita income, not survey results.
Which state spends the least on engagement rings?
In our model, Mississippi has the lowest typical engagement ring spending at about $3,250, followed by West Virginia ($3,500), Alabama ($3,550) and Kentucky ($3,650). The figures scale the national average by each state's 2025 per-capita income.
How were the state engagement ring costs calculated?
Each state's figure is The Knot's national average ($4,600) multiplied by the ratio of the state's 2025 per-capita personal income to the US figure, from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The population-weighted average of the state figures equals the national average. The full method, a check against The Knot's regional figures and the data download are on this page.
Why is the average engagement ring cost going down?
Mostly because of lab-grown diamonds. The Knot reports that 61 percent of engagement rings bought by couples married in 2025 had a lab-grown center stone, up 239 percent since 2020. Rings with a lab-grown center averaged $4,300 for 2.0 carats, compared with $7,000 for 1.6 carats with a natural diamond.
How much is an engagement ring after inflation?
The 2021 average of $6,000 is worth about $7,129 in 2025 dollars, using the BLS consumer price index. Against the 2025 average of $4,600, that is a real decline of about 35 percent in four years.
Is this a survey of what people in each state paid?
No. The national averages come from The Knot's survey, but the state figures are modeled estimates for editorial use. They are not a record of purchases, an appraisal, a quote or a guarantee of price. Actual spending varies widely with budget, stone, setting and taste.
What is the average engagement ring carat size?
About 2.0 carats for rings with a lab-grown center and 1.6 carats for rings with a natural diamond, according to The Knot's 2026 Real Weddings Study of couples married in 2025. Lab-grown stones cost far less per carat, so they average larger.
How much do engagement rings cost: lab-grown vs natural?
Rings with a lab-grown center averaged $4,300 and rings with a natural diamond averaged $7,000 for couples married in 2025 (The Knot 2026). The state estimates on this page apply the same split.
How much do engagement rings cost at Diamond & Sapphire?
Across the 490 engagement ring designs in our collection, the median starting price is $2,149, and the middle half of designs start between $1,862 and $2,499. 94 percent of designs start at or under the $4,600 national average. These are catalog prices for the complete ring, refreshed nightly, not sales data.
Can I use this data in an article?
Yes. The data is free to use under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license with a link to this page. Download the CSV in the data section, and email concierge@diamondandsapphire.com with questions.
Sources
- The Knot Real Weddings Study 2026, data read-out (couples married in 2025)
- Business Wire: The Knot Worldwide Unveils 2026 Real Weddings Study (February 18, 2026)
- Rapaport: Lab-Grown "Taking Over" Engagement-Ring Spending, The Knot (February 19, 2026)
- The Knot: average engagement ring cost 2021 to 2024 and 2023 regional averages
- US Bureau of Economic Analysis: personal income by state (SAINC1 per-capita personal income, 2025)
- US Bureau of Economic Analysis: Regional Price Parities by state (2024)
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics: CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), series CUUR0000SA0
- US Census Bureau: census regions and divisions of the United States
- us-atlas: US Census Bureau cartographic boundaries as TopoJSON (states, Albers USA)
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