In some U.S. states, a family of four needs to earn at least $100,000 to get by, a new analysis reveals.
In Hawaii, the living wage for a married couple with two children is $182,900 — the highest in the country — according to a study by personal finance website GOBankingRates.com.
A living wage is defined as the minimum income a family of four would need to follow the 50/30/20 budget, using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. A family of four is defined as a married couple with two children, the oldest aged 6 to 17.
With a 50/30/20 budget, 50% of your budget is spent on necessities, like housing or utilities, 30% goes toward discretionary spending, and 20% is left for savings or investments.
Based on this outline, Hawaii is by far the most expensive state for a family of four, but there are 12 states where a household would need to earn over $100,000 to get by:
- Hawaii: $182,900
- Massachusetts: $142,341
- California: $130,239
- New York: $118,127
- Alaska: $113,079
- Maryland: $110,244
- Oregon: $106,779
- Vermont: $106,692
- Washington: $105,080
- New Jersey: $104,770
- Connecticut: $101,030
- New Hampshire: $100,436
Unsurprisingly, all of these states have some of the highest living costs in the country, especially for housing.
In Hawaii, the cost of a home is the highest of all states. That’s largely because Hawaii is an isolated chain of islands where land scarcity has pushed up home prices. Transportation costs are also elevated, as most goods are shipped to Hawaii by sea. In turn, those higher costs tend to be passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices.
Massachusetts, California and New York also require a sizeable living wage, as large cities in these states have some of the highest housing costs in the country.
The states with the lowest living wages are mostly in the South or Midwest, where housing costs tend to be more affordable than other regions in the country. Mississippi has the lowest living wage of all states, where getting by as a family costs $73,381 a year — less than half of how much a family needs in Hawaii.
Among married couples with two children ages 6 to 17, the average income is $139,993, according to GOBankingRates. Most families have dual-income earners, with an average of 1.8 earners per family, the study reports.
While having two incomes is an advantage, it’s worth mentioning that even then not every family can cover the expenses of a 50/30/20 budget in their state, largely due to rising home costs. To make ends meet, a family of four might have to find monthly cost savings elsewhere, perhaps by reducing discretionary expenses like travel, or temporarily cutting back on investment contributions.
Here’s a look at the living wage needed for a family of four in every U.S. state, in alphabetical order.
Alabama
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $75,724
Alaska
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $113,079
Arizona
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $97,345
Arkansas
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $76,456
California
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $130,239
Colorado
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $95,563
Connecticut
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $101,030
Delaware
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $91,293
Florida
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $92,271
Georgia
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $78,448
Hawaii
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $182,900
Idaho
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $94,874
Illinois
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $79,899
Indiana
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $80,144
Iowa
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $78,025
Kansas
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $75,924
Kentucky
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $77,842
Louisiana
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $80,451
Maine
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $99,158
Maryland
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $110,244
Massachusetts
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $142,341
Michigan
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $80,998
Minnesota
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $81,931
Mississippi
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $73,381
Missouri
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $77,197
Montana
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $92,367
Nebraska
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $79,007
Nevada
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $95,755
New Hampshire
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $100,436
New Jersey
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $104,770
New Mexico
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $82,047
New York
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $118,127
North Carolina
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $84,957
North Dakota
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $83,852
Ohio
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $81,006
Oklahoma
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $74,253
Oregon
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $106,779
Pennsylvania
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $87,500
Rhode Island
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $95,929
South Carolina
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $84,062
South Dakota
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $83,708
Tennessee
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $79,054
Texas
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $81,374
Utah
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $89,936
Vermont
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $106,692
Virginia
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $91,955
Washington
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $105,080
West Virginia
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $76,905
Wisconsin
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $84,156
Wyoming
- Annual living wage for a family of four: $79,879
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