The Income an Individual Needs to Live Comfortably by State
Key Takeaways
- An individual needs more than $100,000 a year to live comfortably in 23 U.S. states under the 50/30/20 budgeting rule.
- Hawaii requires the highest income at $129,002, while West Virginia has the lowest threshold at $81,245.
- Even in the least expensive state, the comfortable-living benchmark exceeds $81,000 a year.
How much does an individual need to earn to live comfortably where you live?
This visualization maps the annual pre-tax income needed for one person to live comfortably in every U.S. state.
The data for this visualization comes from SmartAsset, with figures as of February 2026.
Comfortable living is defined using a 50/30/20 budget, where 50% of earnings cover necessities, 30% go toward discretionary spending, and 20% are allocated to savings or other financial goals.
Hawaii Tops the Ranking at $129,000
Hawaii has the highest comfortable-living threshold in the country, at $129,002 for an individual.
Hawaii’s cost of living is driven by scarce housing, heavy reliance on imported goods, and extremely high energy costs.
| Rank | State | Annual income needed for single adult |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $129,002 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $127,213 |
| 3 | California | $126,797 |
| 4 | New York | $124,342 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $113,776 |
| 6 | Washington | $110,614 |
| 7 | Oregon | $110,074 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $108,368 |
| 9 | Colorado | $108,160 |
| 10 | Maryland | $107,910 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $107,203 |
| 12 | Virginia | $106,995 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $104,042 |
| 14 | Alaska | $103,917 |
| 15 | Vermont | $103,667 |
| 16 | Maine | $102,918 |
| 17 | Utah | $102,794 |
| 18 | Arizona | $101,795 |
| 19 | Illinois | $101,587 |
| 20 | Montana | $100,797 |
| 21 | Georgia | $100,714 |
| 22 | Nevada | $100,506 |
| 23 | Florida | $100,214 |
| 24 | Delaware | $98,966 |
| 25 | Idaho | $98,176 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania | $97,011 |
| 27 | Minnesota | $96,970 |
| 28 | North Carolina | $93,475 |
| 29 | South Carolina | $92,934 |
| 30 | Michigan | $91,811 |
| 31 | New Mexico | $91,229 |
| 32 | Wisconsin | $91,021 |
| 33 | Indiana | $90,646 |
| 34 | Texas | $90,563 |
| 35 | Nebraska | $90,480 |
| 36 | Kansas | $89,981 |
| 37 | Tennessee | $89,898 |
| 38 | Wyoming | $89,232 |
| 39 | Iowa | $88,566 |
| 40 | Missouri | $88,483 |
| 41 | Alabama | $87,610 |
| 42 | Ohio | $87,360 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $86,237 |
| 44 | Mississippi | $86,070 |
| 45 | North Dakota | $85,738 |
| 46 | South Dakota | $85,405 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $84,739 |
| 48 | Kentucky | $84,074 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $83,242 |
| 50 | West Virginia | $81,245 |
Massachusetts ($127,213), California ($126,797), and New York ($124,342) round out the top four.
They are the only states where an individual needs more than $120,000 to follow the 50/30/20 budget. There is then a sizable drop to fifth-ranked New Jersey, at $113,776.
Six-Figure Incomes Are Needed in 23 States
In 23 states, a $100,000 salary falls short of the income needed for an individual to follow the 50/30/20 budget.
The list extends well beyond traditionally expensive coastal markets. Utah, Arizona, Montana, Georgia, Nevada, and Florida all require six-figure incomes under this framework.
Where a Comfortable Lifestyle Costs the Least
At the other end of the ranking, West Virginia has the lowest income requirement at $81,245.
Arkansas ranks second-lowest at $83,242, followed by Kentucky at $84,074 and Louisiana at $84,739.
Many of the lowest-cost states are in the South and Midwest. However, even the lowest benchmark in the country exceeds $81,000 a year.
That reflects the definition of “comfortable” used here: income must cover basic needs while still leaving room for discretionary spending and saving money, rather than simply meeting essential expenses.
From Individual to Family
How does the picture change for a family of four with two adults and two children?
See our previous map for the income a family needs to live comfortably in every U.S. state.
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