How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (2023)

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Written by Taylor Borden and Dominic-Madori Davis

Updated

2021-03-10T15:18:26Z

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (1)

The cost of living is notoriously high in the US — but it can vary widely by state.
GoBankingRates determined the "living wage" necessary to live comfortably in each US state late last year.
Some states, like New York, require $95,724 to live comfortably, but in other states, it can be as low as $58,321.
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Living paycheck to paycheck is an unfortunately common hallmark of American life. And that's more evident than ever now, amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Many are reconsidering their living situations as the US faces a recession: Earlier last year, over 51 million people filed for unemployment in just a 17-week period. For context, the Great Recession eliminated 37 million jobs over 18 months.

Having it all — the ability to cover basic expenses, while still having "fun money" and contributing to savings — currently seems like an impossible feat.

That total amount, also known as the minimum annual "living wage," varies significantly depending on what state you're in.

In December, GoBankingRatesdetermined the necessary living wage in each state using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the 50/30/20 budgeting rule. This popular general budgeting rule allocates 50% of annual income to necessities like housing, 30% to discretionary expenses like travel, and the remaining 20% to savings.

The median necessary living wage across the entire US is $67,690. The state with the lowest annual living wage is Mississippi, with $58,321. The state with the highest living wage is Hawaii, with $136,437. Other expensive states (unsurprisingly) included New York and California, which have notoriously high costs of living and expensive housing markets.

Keep reading to see the annual wage necessary for living comfortably in every US state, listed in alphabetical order by state name. Also included is the actual median household income in each state, according to 2019 data from the US Census Bureau and the median price of homes listed for sale in each state from Zillow.

The living wage in Alabama is $60,016.

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (2)

Median household income in 2019: $51,734

Median price of homes currently listed: $220,000

The living wage in Alaska is $91,996.

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (3)

Median household income in 2019: $75,463

Median price of homes currently listed: $296,646

The living wage in Arizona is $68,504.

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (4)

Median household income in 2019: $62,055

Median price of homes currently listed: $303,230

The living wage in Arkansas is $59,641.

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (5)

Median household income in 2019: $48,952

Median price of homes currently listed: $140,986

The living wage in California is $99,971.

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (6)

Median household income in 2019: $80,440

Median price of homes currently listed: $609,757

The living wage in Colorado in $74,215.

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (7)

Median household income in 2019: $77,127

Median price of homes currently listed: $431,100

The living wage in Connecticut is $90,278.

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (8)

Median household income in 2019: $78,833

Median price of homes currently listed: $281,924

The living wage in Delaware is $71,254.

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (9)

Median household income in 2019: $70,176

Median price of homes currently listed: $277,979

The living wage in Florida is $67,614.

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (10)

Median household income in 2019: $59,227

Median price of homes currently listed: $264,149

The living wage in Georgia is $62,074.

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (11)

Median household income in 2019: $61,980

Median price of homes currently listed: $218,609

The living wage in Hawaii is $136,437.

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (12)

Median household income in 2019: $83,102

Median price of homes currently listed:$667,005

The living wage in Idaho is $66,486.

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (13)

Median household income in 2019: $60,999

Median price of homes currently listed:$331,126

The living wage in Illinois is $66,847.

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (14)

Median household income in 2019: $69,187

Median price of homes currently listed: $217,105

The living wage in Indiana is $62,086.

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (15)

Median household income in 2019: $57,603

Median price of homes currently listed:$169,156

The living wage in Iowa is $63,397.

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (16)

Median household income in 2019: $61,691

Median price of homes currently listed: $157,308

The living wage in Kansas is $62,090.

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (17)

Median household income in 2019: $62,087

Median price of homes currently listed: $164,336

The living wage in Kentucky is $63,086.

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (18)

Median household income in 2019: $52,295

Median price of homes currently listed: $156,926

The living wage in Louisiana is $63,842.

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (19)

Median household income in 2019: $51,073

Median price of homes currently listed:$177,548

The living wage in Maine is $80,336.

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (20)

Median household income in 2019: $58,924

Median price of homes currently listed: $269,753

The living wage in Maryland is $92,227.

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (21)

Median household income in 2019: $86,738

Median price of homes currently listed: $335,260

The living wage in Massachusetts is $93,895.

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (22)

Median household income in 2019: $85,843

Median price of homes currently listed: $464,279

The living wage in Michigan is $67,712.

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (23)

Median household income in 2019: $59,584

Median price of homes currently listed: $187,747

The living wage in Minnesota is $68,944.

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (24)

Median household income in 2019: $74,593

Median price of homes currently listed:$277,276

The living wage in Mississippi is $58,321.

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (25)

Median household income in 2019: $45,792

Median price of homes currently listed: $131,973

The living wage in Missouri is $60,858.

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (26)

Median household income in 2019: $57,409

Median price of homes currently listed: $176,609

The living wage in Montana is $70,719.

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (27)

Median household income in 2019: $57,153

Median price of homes currently listed:$313,261

The living wage in Nebraska is $65,162.

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (28)

Median household income in 2018:$63,229

Median price of homes currently listed:$189,139

The living wage in Nevada is $75,902.

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (29)

Median household income in 2019: $63,276

Median price of homes currently listed:$327,714

The living wage in New Hampshire is $74,415.

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (30)

Median household income in 2019: $77,933

Median price of homes currently listed:$321,496

The living wage in New Jersey is $86,244.

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (31)

Median household income in 2019: $85,751

Median price of homes currently listed:$367,103

The living wage in New Mexico is $63,629.

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (32)

Median household income in 2019: $51,945

Median price of homes currently listed:$224,374

The living wage in New York is $95,724.

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (33)

Median household income in 2019: $72,108

Median price of homes currently listed:$343,164

The living wage in North Carolina is $64,406.

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (34)

Median household income in 2018:$57,341

Median price of homes currently listed: $220,710

The living wage in North Dakota is $69,085.

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (35)

Median household income in 2019: $64,577

Median price of homes currently listed: $236,012

The living wage in Ohio is $63,204.

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (36)

Median household income in 2018:$58,642

Median price of homes currently listed:$164,968

The living wage in Oklahoma is $60,318.

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (37)

Median household income in 2019: $54,449

Median price of homes currently listed:$139,409

The living wage in Oregon is $93,285.

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (38)

Median household income in 2019: $67,058

Median price of homes currently listed:$393,710

The living wage in Pennsylvania is $68,581.

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (39)

Median household income in 2018:$63,463

Median price of homes currently listed:$211,287

The living wage in Rhode Island is $83,942.

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (40)

Median household income in 2019: $71,169

Median price of homes currently listed:$331,458

The living wage in South Carolina is $65,953.

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (41)

Median household income in 2019: $56,227

Median price of homes currently listed: $203,328

The living wage in South Dakota is $67,657.

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (42)

Median household income in 2019: $59,533

Median price of homes currently listed: $222,435

The living wage in Tennessee is $60,682.

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (43)

Median household income in 2019: $56,071

Median price of homes currently listed:$203,134

The living wage in Texas is $63,469.

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (44)

Median household income in 2019: $64,034

Median price of homes currently listed:$220,034

The living wage in Utah is $67,807.

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (45)

Median household income in 2019: $75,780

Median price of homes currently listed:$386,723

The living wage in Vermont is $83,878.

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (46)

Median household income in 2019: $63,001

Median price of homes currently listed: $273,024

The living wage in Virginia is $69,886.

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (47)

Median household income in 2019: $76,456

Median price of homes currently listed:$302,369

The living wage in Washington is $77,207.

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (48)

Median household income in 2019: $78,687

Median price of homes currently listed: $458,313

The living wage in West Virginia is $62,635.

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Median household income in 2019: $48,850

Median price of homes currently listed: $110,544

The living wage in Wisconsin is $67,667.

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Median household income in 2019: $64,168

Median price of homes currently listed: $207,018

The living wage in Wyoming is $61,788.

How much money you need to make to live comfortably in every state in America (51)

Median household income in 2019: $65,003

Median price of homes currently listed: $258,280

Taylor Borden

Reporter

Taylor reports on real estate, wealth, and travel. She covers the housing market and where people are moving, from up-and-coming cities to noted luxurious enclaves. She joined Business Insider in 2019. Since then, she has investigated how the richest ZIP code in the US obtained coronavirus antibody tests for residents before they were readily available, interviewed Michelin-starred chefs, and analyzed how the pandemic rendered the American dream of homeownership practically unattainable. Taylor is from Miami, Florida, and holds a master's in journalism from Northwestern University. Let her know where you're trying to buy a house or secure a second passport at tborden@insider.com. Follow her on Twitter @taylormborden.