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As housing, grocery, transportation and other essential costs pressure household budgets, earning a six-figure salary no longer guarantees financial comfort in much of the U.S. A single adult now needs at least $80,000 a year to live comfortably in every state, while the threshold exceeds $100,000 in nearly half of states. For a family of four, the income needed to live comfortably is as much as $329,000.
SmartAsset analyzed the living wage in each state — what a full-time worker must earn to cover minimum basic needs — and adjusted it using the 50/30/20 budgeting rule. Under the rule, 50% of income goes to necessities like housing and utilities, 30% to discretionary spending and 20% to savings for retirement and emergencies. The resulting estimate represents the annual, pre-tax income needed to live comfortably in each state.
Key Findings
- In most states, a family of four needs at least $200,000 a year to live comfortably. That threshold applies in 40 states for households with two working adults and two children.
- Massachusetts and Hawaii are the most expensive states to live comfortably. Massachusetts is the most expensive state for a family of four, with an income requirement of $329,555. Hawaii is the most expensive state for single adults, who need $129,002.
- Montana had the largest increase in the income needed to live comfortably. For a single adult, that threshold rose 8.6% since 2025, the largest increase in the study.
- Mississippi and West Virginia are the least expensive states to live comfortably. Mississippi is the least expensive state for a family of four, with an income requirement of $187,533. West Virginia is the least expensive state for single adults, who need $81,245.
- In six states, the income needed to live comfortably declined since 2025. Those states are Tennessee, Maryland, Louisiana, North Carolina, Mississippi and Texas. In each, a single adult needs less income in 2026 than in 2025.
Questions and Answers
What is the difference between a living wage and the salary needed to live comfortably?
A living wage is the income needed to cover basic necessities: housing, food, transportation, health care, taxes, child care where applicable, and similar expenses. The income needed to live comfortably covers these essential expenses, as well as reasonable discretionary spending, and adequate savings for retirement and emergencies.
Where did the income needed to live comfortably increase the most since 2025?
Montana had the largest increase in the income needed to live comfortably. For a single adult, that threshold rose 8.6% since 2025. It was followed by New York, which saw an 8.4% increase.
Which states require the highest income to live comfortably?
Massachusetts and Hawaii are the most expensive states to live comfortably. Massachusetts is the most expensive state for a family of four, with an income requirement of $329,555. Hawaii is the most expensive state for single adults, who need $129,002.
Which states require the least income to live comfortably?
Mississippi and West Virginia are the least expensive states to live comfortably. Mississippi is the least expensive state for a family of four, with an income requirement of $187,533. West Virginia is the least expensive state for single adults, who need $81,245.
Which areas of the United States are the most and least expensive to live comfortably?
The West Coast, Hawaii, Florida, and parts of the Mountain West and the Northeast are generally the most expensive areas of the United States to live comfortably. Parts of the Great Plains and Southeast are the least expensive areas of the United States to live comfortably.
What is the 50/30/20 budget rule?
The 50/30/20 budget rule is a widely used guideline in personal financial planning. It divides income into three categories: needs, wants, and savings or debt repayment. Generally, 50% of income should go toward needs, 30% toward wants, and 20% toward savings and debt service.
States Ranked by Year-over-Year Change for Single Adults
1. Montana
• Income needed for a single adult: $100,797
• Year-over-year change: 8.6%
2. New York
• Income needed for a single adult: $124,342
• Year-over-year change: 8.4%
3. Maine
• Income needed for a single adult: $102,918
• Year-over-year change: 6.5%
4. California
• Income needed for a single adult: $126,797
• Year-over-year change: 6.1%
5. Massachusetts
• Income needed for a single adult: $127,213
• Year-over-year change: 5.9%
6. Minnesota
• Income needed for a single adult: $96,970
• Year-over-year change: 5.7%
7. Oregon
• Income needed for a single adult: $110,074
• Year-over-year change: 5.2%
8. Michigan
• Income needed for a single adult: $91,811
• Year-over-year change: 5.2%
9. Indiana
• Income needed for a single adult: $90,646
• Year-over-year change: 4.7%
10. New Jersey
• Income needed for a single adult: $113,776
• Year-over-year change: 4.4%
11. New Mexico
• Income needed for a single adult: $91,229
• Year-over-year change: 4.4%
12. Wisconsin
• Income needed for a single adult: $91,021
• Year-over-year change: 4.4%
13. North Dakota
• Income needed for a single adult: $85,738
• Year-over-year change: 4.2%
14. Vermont
• Income needed for a single adult: $103,667
• Year-over-year change: 4.1%
15. New Hampshire
• Income needed for a single adult: $107,203
• Year-over-year change: 4.0%
16. South Dakota
• Income needed for a single adult: $85,405
• Year-over-year change: 3.9%
17. Hawaii
• Income needed for a single adult: $129,002
• Year-over-year change: 3.6%
18. Alaska
• Income needed for a single adult: $103,917
• Year-over-year change: 3.6%
19. Illinois
• Income needed for a single adult: $101,587
• Year-over-year change: 3.6%
20. Nebraska
• Income needed for a single adult: $90,480
• Year-over-year change: 3.6%
21. Utah
• Income needed for a single adult: $102,794
• Year-over-year change: 3.3%
22. Connecticut
• Income needed for a single adult: $108,368
• Year-over-year change: 3.0%
23. Ohio
• Income needed for a single adult: $87,360
• Year-over-year change: 3.0%
24. Florida
• Income needed for a single adult: $100,214
• Year-over-year change: 2.9%
25. Rhode Island
• Income needed for a single adult: $104,042
• Year-over-year change: 2.7%
26. Kansas
• Income needed for a single adult: $89,981
• Year-over-year change: 2.7%
27. Alabama
• Income needed for a single adult: $87,610
• Year-over-year change: 2.7%
28. Arkansas
• Income needed for a single adult: $83,242
• Year-over-year change: 2.7%
29. Oklahoma
• Income needed for a single adult: $86,237
• Year-over-year change: 2.3%
30. Colorado
• Income needed for a single adult: $108,160
• Year-over-year change: 2.1%
31. Iowa
• Income needed for a single adult: $88,566
• Year-over-year change: 1.9%
32. Missouri
• Income needed for a single adult: $88,483
• Year-over-year change: 1.9%
33. Idaho
• Income needed for a single adult: $98,176
• Year-over-year change: 1.8%
34. Pennsylvania
• Income needed for a single adult: $97,011
• Year-over-year change: 1.8%
35. Delaware
• Income needed for a single adult: $98,966
• Year-over-year change: 1.5%
36. Wyoming
• Income needed for a single adult: $89,232
• Year-over-year change: 1.5%
37. Nevada
• Income needed for a single adult: $100,506
• Year-over-year change: 1.3%
38. Georgia
• Income needed for a single adult: $100,714
• Year-over-year change: 1.1%
39. Washington
• Income needed for a single adult: $110,614
• Year-over-year change: 0.9%
40. South Carolina
• Income needed for a single adult: $92,934
• Year-over-year change: 0.9%
41. Kentucky
• Income needed for a single adult: $84,074
• Year-over-year change: 0.6%
42. West Virginia
• Income needed for a single adult: $81,245
• Year-over-year change: 0.5%
43. Virginia
• Income needed for a single adult: $106,995
• Year-over-year change: 0.3%
44. Arizona
• Income needed for a single adult: $101,795
• Year-over-year change: 0.2%
45. Texas
• Income needed for a single adult: $90,563
• Year-over-year change: -0.2%
46. North Carolina
• Income needed for a single adult: $93,475
• Year-over-year change: -0.3%
47. Mississippi
• Income needed for a single adult: $86,070
• Year-over-year change: -0.3%
48. Louisiana
• Income needed for a single adult: $84,739
• Year-over-year change: -0.7%
49. Maryland
• Income needed for a single adult: $107,910
• Year-over-year change: -0.9%
50. Tennessee
• Income needed for a single adult: $89,898
• Year-over-year change: -1.7%
Methodology
MIT Living Wage Calculator data was used to gather basic cost-of-living estimates for a single adult with no children and for a household with two working adults and two children. MIT last updated the data in February 2026 to reflect the most recent data available; 2025 data was also sourced to calculate year-over-year changes. Estimates were modified using the 50/30/20 budgeting rule for all 50 states by treating the living wage as the amount needed for necessities, or 50% of the total budget. Source data providers are not affiliated with, and do not endorse or sponsor, this study or its findings.
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