Here’s How Much Above the Median Income You Need To Live Comfortably in Every State

The question of what income level is needed to live comfortably implies much about the reality of life for the average American family — there’s an ongoing affordability crisis and oftentimes the income you’re pulling in simply doesn’t cover all of the bases as to what constitutes a wholly “comfortable” life.

Using recent statistics — on one hand the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED) median household income stats from 2024 and on the other 2025 SmartAsset state-by-state data on the costs of living comfortably in each jurisdiction — a comparison can be drawn, outlining the disparity between what families are earning in each state and what a comfortable income requirement might look like. Find out below what the hard numbers look like.

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What Is the Difference Needed To Live Comfortably?

A few notes, before we dive in: What defines “living comfortably”? SmartAsset borrowed the 50/30/20 rule for its judgment, wherein 50% of income covers necessities while 30% is allocated to discretionary spending and 20% for fiscal necessities such as retirement funding or paying down debt. One caveat, as well — the FRED figures cover households of all sizes and composition, whereas the SmartAsset numbers utilize a standardized assumption of two working adults and two children as comprising a household.

Without further ado, a list of the states, respective median incomes and income necessary for a comfortable life and the discrepancy between those two numbers follows.

The individual-level figures were quite a bit more encouraging, although it still paints a portrait of the typical wage earner still coming up short.

For a (relatively) fair comparison, it should be remembered that the average American worker pulled down a median income of $67,080 in 2024. That’s still well behind the amount needed for an individual to live comfortably in the most affordable state (West Virginia, requiring $80,829), to say nothing of what’s needed to feel financially secure in Hawaii (at $124,467). The other 48 states measured by this data fall somewhere in between.

Finally, wage earners also need to be securing significant raises to keep pace as well.

“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,” said Jaclyn DeJohn, certified financial planner (CFP) and director of economic analysis at SmartAsset.

This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.

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