Email FacebookTwitterMenu burgerClose thin

Here’s the Salary It Takes to Live Comfortably in Each U.S. State – 2025 Study

Byline profile imageWritten by Jaclyn DeJohn, CFP®
Updated on
Share

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, SmartAsset examined 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.

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.

  1. 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%
  2. 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%
  3. 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%
  4. 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%
  5. 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%
  6. 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%
  7. 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%
  8. 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%
  9. 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.

  1. 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%
  2. 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%
  3. 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%
  4. 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%
  5. 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%
  6. 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%
  7. 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%
  8. 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%
  9. 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.

Questions about our study? Contact us at press@smartasset.com

Photo credit: Grok