Salary needed to live comfortably in every state
A single renter needs about $60,800 a year in Wyoming and $112,000 in California to keep basic bills at half of take-home pay, the "needs" share of the 50/30/20 rule. In the middle state, Maine, it is about $77,100 (our calculation).
Comfortable salary by state, single renter
How we worked it out
For each state we add up six monthly basics: median rent with utilities the renter pays (Census ACS 2025), the average electricity bill (EIA), gas for 1,000 miles (AAA), full-coverage car insurance (Insurify), a worker's share of a job-based health plan (KFF) and average groceries (BLS). Then we find the salary at which those basics equal 50% of take-home pay after 2026 federal tax, state income tax, Social Security and Medicare for a single filer. "Tight" is the salary where they take 70%.
Rent drives most of the gap. California's median rent is $2,160 a month, against $1,087 in Wyoming. State income tax matters too: 9 places in the table have no tax on wages, so the same take-home needs a smaller salary there.
| California | $3,392 | $112,000 | $74,000 | $177,800 |
| District of Columbia | $3,296 | $108,800 | $72,400 | $192,700 |
| Hawaii | $3,235 | $107,200 | $71,900 | $181,300 |
| Maryland | $3,128 | $100,400 | $67,700 | $162,700 |
| New Jersey | $3,117 | $99,700 | $66,400 | $162,300 |
| Massachusetts | $3,086 | $99,500 | $67,100 | $174,600 |
| Colorado | $2,992 | $94,400 | $63,700 | $154,800 |
| Virginia | $2,930 | $93,900 | $63,300 | $145,400 |
| New York | $2,905 | $92,900 | $62,700 | $154,700 |
| Florida | $3,077 | $92,400 | $62,900 | $128,600 |
| Connecticut | $2,891 | $92,200 | $62,300 | $148,600 |
| Oregon | $2,763 | $92,000 | $61,900 | $150,700 |
| Washington | $3,050 | $91,500 | $62,400 | $150,200 |
| Delaware | $2,849 | $91,300 | $61,500 | $138,900 |
| Georgia | $2,798 | $88,500 | $60,100 | $122,500 |
| Arizona | $2,846 | $87,300 | $59,600 | $128,900 |
| Nevada | $2,923 | $87,200 | $59,700 | $124,300 |
| Rhode Island | $2,800 | $86,700 | $59,000 | $138,600 |
| Utah | $2,725 | $85,900 | $58,700 | $120,000 |
| New Hampshire | $2,811 | $83,400 | $57,300 | $132,700 |
| South Carolina | $2,613 | $81,900 | $55,800 | $110,100 |
| Illinois | $2,553 | $80,000 | $55,000 | $130,300 |
| Texas | $2,688 | $79,200 | $54,600 | $110,500 |
| Idaho | $2,526 | $77,900 | $53,300 | $109,000 |
| Maine | $2,461 | $77,100 | $52,800 | $115,000 |
| Minnesota | $2,474 | $77,100 | $52,600 | $141,400 |
| Alaska | $2,604 | $76,300 | $52,800 | $109,700 |
| Pennsylvania | $2,491 | $75,700 | $52,400 | $118,800 |
| North Carolina | $2,464 | $75,000 | $51,800 | $112,000 |
| Michigan | $2,427 | $74,400 | $51,500 | $112,700 |
| Vermont | $2,433 | $73,900 | $50,800 | $130,600 |
| Tennessee | $2,442 | $70,700 | $49,400 | $104,800 |
| Montana | $2,300 | $69,600 | $48,200 | $105,700 |
| Wisconsin | $2,293 | $69,400 | $48,100 | $111,500 |
| Alabama | $2,248 | $68,700 | $47,900 | $95,500 |
| Missouri | $2,285 | $68,700 | $47,700 | $108,000 |
| Nebraska | $2,275 | $68,200 | $47,400 | $107,700 |
| Indiana | $2,274 | $67,800 | $47,500 | $108,600 |
| Kansas | $2,230 | $67,800 | $47,100 | $114,300 |
| Oklahoma | $2,239 | $67,400 | $47,000 | $97,900 |
| Louisiana | $2,266 | $67,100 | $46,900 | $97,100 |
| Kentucky | $2,217 | $66,300 | $46,500 | $95,200 |
| Ohio | $2,257 | $66,000 | $46,000 | $102,400 |
| New Mexico | $2,200 | $65,400 | $45,400 | $106,500 |
| Mississippi | $2,185 | $64,900 | $45,300 | $89,300 |
| Arkansas | $2,155 | $64,500 | $45,200 | $90,900 |
| South Dakota | $2,205 | $63,200 | $44,300 | $85,000 |
| Iowa | $2,091 | $61,900 | $43,100 | $97,700 |
| West Virginia | $2,057 | $61,300 | $42,700 | $91,400 |
| North Dakota | $2,132 | $61,000 | $42,800 | $91,500 |
| Wyoming | $2,126 | $60,800 | $42,600 | $91,500 |
Comfortable = basics are 50% of take-home pay; tight = 70%. Single filer, standard deduction, no 401(k) or credits, no local income tax. Each cost is that state's average from its own source and date; groceries use the U.S. average in every state. Our calculation, a rough guide rather than a full budget. Tap a state for its line-by-line budget and sources.
Make it your own number
Your rent, car and health plan may be very different from a state average. Plug your own numbers into the budget by state tool, check your paycheck with the take-home pay calculator, then split it with the 50/30/20 budget calculator. Thinking about a move? Compare two states side by side.
Common questions
How much do you need to make to live comfortably?
It depends on the state. To keep the basics we track (median rent, electricity, gas for 1,000 miles, car insurance, a job-based health plan and groceries) at half of take-home pay, a single person needs about $60,800 a year in Wyoming and about $112,000 in California. The middle state, Maine, needs about $77,100 (our calculation with 2026 taxes).
What does "comfortable" mean here?
We use the 50/30/20 rule: about 50% of take-home pay for needs, 30% for wants and 20% for savings and debt payments. "Comfortable" here means the basic bills fit in the 50%. It is a budgeting rule of thumb, not an official standard.
Which state needs the highest salary?
California, at about $112,000 a year for a single renter, mostly because of its median rent of $2,160 a month. District of Columbia ($108,800) and Hawaii ($107,200) follow.
Which state needs the lowest salary?
Wyoming, at about $60,800 a year. North Dakota ($61,000) and West Virginia ($61,300) are next.
What if I can only cover the basics, not live comfortably?
If the basics take 70% of take-home pay, there is little left for savings or surprises. That "tight" salary is about $42,600 in Wyoming and $74,000 in California (our calculation). The table shows it for every state.
Does this include child care?
The main column is for one adult with no children. The family column adds full-time infant care in a center (Child Care Aware of America, 2023 prices) and shows the salary needed to keep basics plus child care at half of take-home pay. It does not include a second earner.