Here’s the salary it takes to live comfortably in each US state
As cost of living increases seem to permanently make their way to important budget items, individuals and families increasingly need more income to support a comfortable lifestyle over the long-term.
As cost of living increases seem to permanently make their way to important budget items, individuals and families increasingly need more income to support a comfortable lifestyle over the long-term. This means being able to afford hobbies, vacations, retirement savings, education funds, and the occasional emergency — in addition to necessities like housing, groceries, transportation and medical expenses. One way to estimate how much income is needed for these collective expenses is the 50/30/20 budget rule. This rule suggests allocating 50% of your income to necessities, 30% to discretionary spending, and 20% to long-term goals like retirement savings or paying off debt.
Given this definition, an individual in any given U.S. state needs about $5,844 more earnings than last year to have a comfortable, sustainable budget, while working families of four need an additional $9,360. With this in mind, SmartAssetexamined the salary needed to live comfortably in each state — the pre-tax income needed for necessities, long-term savings and a little extra breathing room — and how it’s changed each year.
Key Findings
Hawaii is the most expensive state for a single adult to live comfortably. It takes a salary of $124,467 for a single adult to cover needs, wants, long-term savings and income taxes in the Aloha State. This is up 9.48% from just a year ago, when the same level of comfort was estimated to be earned at $113,693.
It costs over $300,000 for a family to live comfortably in Massachusetts. Massachusetts is the most expensive state for working families. A total household income of $313,747 covers the projected short-term and long-term expenses for two adults and two children. The income needed for a single adult to live comfortably is estimated to be at $120,141 this year — second highest nationwide after Hawaii.
Adults in West Virginia need just $80,829 to live comfortably. Singletons in West Virginia need least of any state, maintaining its ranking from last year when a single adult needed $78,790. However, families need the lowest income in Mississippi, where the 2025 household income needed is just $186,618 across two earners.
Families in Vermont and New Jersey may be feeling their income squeezed. When it comes to the household income needed for a family to live comfortably, Vermont saw the highest one-year increase at 15.48% to $286,790. New Jersey followed closely behind with a 12.55% increase to $282,714.
The salary needed to live comfortably for an adult jumped nearly 10% in Montana. Montana saw the highest annual increase in income needed for an adult, with a 9.57% increase to $92,851. The income needed for families had a similarly abrupt change, jumping 11.14% to $234,957 — third-highest studywide.
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Top 10 States Where the Salary Needed to Live Comfortably Is Highest
States are ranked based on the salary needed for a single adult with no children.
Hawaii
Income needed for a single adult, 2025: $124,467.20
Income needed for a four-person family, 2025: $294,361.60
Rank, income needed for family: 2
Income needed for a single adult, 2024: $113,693
Income needed for a four-person family, 2024: $294,611
One-year change in income needed for a single adult: 9.48%
One-year change in income needed for a family: -0.08%
Massachusetts
Income needed for a single adult, 2025: $120,140.80
Income needed for a four-person family, 2025: $313,747.20
Rank, income needed for family: 1
Income needed for a single adult, 2024: $116,022
Income needed for a four-person family, 2024: $301,184
One-year change in income needed for a single adult: 3.55%
One-year change in income needed for a family: 4.17%
California
Income needed for a single adult, 2025: $119,475.20
Income needed for a four-person family, 2025: $287,456.00
Rank, income needed for family: 4
Income needed for a single adult, 2024: $113,651
Income needed for a four-person family, 2024: $276,723
One-year change in income needed for a single adult: 5.12%
One-year change in income needed for a family: 3.88%
New York
Income needed for a single adult, 2025: $114,691.20
Income needed for a four-person family, 2025: $276,972.80
Rank, income needed for family: 8
Income needed for a single adult, 2024: $111,738
Income needed for a four-person family, 2024: $278,970
One-year change in income needed for a single adult: 2.64%
One-year change in income needed for a family: -0.72%
Washington
Income needed for a single adult, 2025: $109,657.60
Income needed for a four-person family, 2025: $277,888.00
Rank, income needed for family: 7
Income needed for a single adult, 2024: $106,496
Income needed for a four-person family, 2024: $257,421
One-year change in income needed for a single adult: 2.97%
One-year change in income needed for a family: 7.95%
New Jersey
Income needed for a single adult, 2025: $108,992.00
Income needed for a four-person family, 2025: $282,713.60
Rank, income needed for family: 6
Income needed for a single adult, 2024: $103,002
Income needed for a four-person family, 2024: $251,181
One-year change in income needed for a single adult: 5.82%
One-year change in income needed for a family: 12.55%
Maryland
Income needed for a single adult, 2025: $108,867.20
Income needed for a four-person family, 2025: $259,168.00
Income needed for a single adult, 2024: $102,918
Rank, income needed for family: 12
Income needed for a four-person family, 2024: $239,450
One-year change in income needed for a single adult: 5.78%
One-year change in income needed for a family: 8.23%
Virginia
Income needed for a single adult, 2025: $106,704.00
Income needed for a four-person family, 2025: $241,696.00
Income needed for a single adult, 2024: $99,965
Rank, income needed for family: 17
Income needed for a four-person family, 2024: $235,206
One-year change in income needed for a single adult: 6.74%
One-year change in income needed for a family: 2.76%
Colorado
Income needed for a single adult, 2025: $105,955.20
Income needed for a four-person family, 2025: $273,728.00
Rank, income needed for family: 9
Income needed for a single adult, 2024: $103,293
Income needed for a four-person family, 2024: $264,992
One-year change in income needed for a single adult: 2.58%
One-year change in income needed for a family: 3.30%
10. Connecticut
Income needed for a single adult, 2025: $105,164.80
Income needed for a four-person family, 2025: $290,368.00
Rank, income needed for family: 3
Income needed for a single adult, 2024: $100,381
Income needed for a four-person family, 2024: $279,885
One-year change in income needed for a single adult: 4.77%
One-year change in income needed for a family: 3.75%
Top 10 States Where the Salary Needed to Live Comfortably Is Lowest
States are ranked based on the salary needed for a single adult with no children.
West Virginia
Income needed for a single adult, 2025: $80,828.80
Income needed for a four-person family, 2025: $195,353.60
Rank, income needed for family: 46
Income needed for a single adult, 2024: $78,790
Income needed for a four-person family, 2024: $189,363
One-year change in income needed for a single adult: 2.59%
One-year change in income needed for a family: 3.16%
Arkansas
Income needed for a single adult, 2025: $81,078.40
Income needed for a four-person family, 2025: $193,772.80
Rank, income needed for family: 48
Income needed for a single adult, 2024: $79,456
Income needed for a four-person family, 2024: $180,794
One-year change in income needed for a single adult: 2.04%
One-year change in income needed for a family: 7.18%
South Dakota
Income needed for a single adult, 2025: $82,160.00
Income needed for a four-person family, 2025: $197,932.80
Rank, income needed for family: 45
Income needed for a single adult, 2024: $81,453
Income needed for a four-person family, 2024: $192,608
One-year change in income needed for a single adult: 0.87%
One-year change in income needed for a family: 2.76%
North Dakota
Income needed for a single adult, 2025: $82,284.80
Income needed for a four-person family, 2025: $207,334.40
Rank, income needed for family: 39
Income needed for a single adult, 2024: $80,538
Income needed for a four-person family, 2024: $202,176
One-year change in income needed for a single adult: 2.17%
One-year change in income needed for a family: 2.55%
Kentucky
Income needed for a single adult, 2025: $83,574.40
Income needed for a four-person family, 2025: $192,940.80
Rank, income needed for family: 49
Income needed for a single adult, 2024: $80,704
Income needed for a four-person family, 2024: $190,112
One-year change in income needed for a single adult: 3.56%
One-year change in income needed for a family: 1.49%
Oklahoma
Income needed for a single adult, 2025: $84,281.60
Income needed for a four-person family, 2025: $208,748.80
Rank, income needed for family: 36
Income needed for a single adult, 2024: $80,413
Income needed for a four-person family, 2024: $194,106
One-year change in income needed for a single adult: 4.81%
One-year change in income needed for a family: 7.54%
Ohio
Income needed for a single adult, 2025: $84,780.80
Income needed for a four-person family, 2025: $220,563.20
Rank, income needed for family: 28
Income needed for a single adult, 2024: $80,704
Income needed for a four-person family, 2024: $209,331
One-year change in income needed for a single adult: 5.05%
One-year change in income needed for a family: 5.37%
Alabama
Income needed for a single adult, 2025: $85,280.00
Income needed for a four-person family, 2025: $194,521.60
Rank, income needed for family: 47
Income needed for a single adult, 2024: $83,824
Income needed for a four-person family, 2024: $193,606
One-year change in income needed for a single adult: 1.74%
One-year change in income needed for a family: 0.47%
Louisiana
Income needed for a single adult, 2025: $85,321.60
Income needed for a four-person family, 2025: $199,596.80
Rank, income needed for family: 44
Income needed for a single adult, 2024: $82,451
Income needed for a four-person family, 2024: $189,613
One-year change in income needed for a single adult: 3.48%
One-year change in income needed for a family: 5.27%
10. Mississippi
Income needed for a single adult, 2025: $86,320.00
Income needed for a four-person family, 2025: $186,617.60
Rank, income needed for family: 50
Income needed for a single adult, 2024: $82,742
Income needed for a four-person family, 2024: $177,798
One-year change in income needed for a single adult: 4.32%
One-year change in income needed for a family: 4.96%
Data and Methodology
SmartAsset used MIT Living Wage Calculator data to gather the basic cost of living for an individual with no children and for two working adults with two children. Data includes cost of necessities that cover housing, food, transportation, income taxes and other miscellaneous items. It was last updated to reflect the most recent data available on Feb. 10, 2025.
Applying these costs to the 50/30/20 budget for 50 U.S. states, MIT’s living wage is assumed to cover needs (i.e. 50% of one’s budget). From there the total wage was extrapolated for individuals and families to spend 30% of the total on wants and 20% on savings or debt payments.
