Living Wages
How much money a single person needs to earn to get by in every U.S. state
From MIT’s Living Wage Calculator which estimates the minimum income necessary for a single person to cover their living expenses and stay above the poverty line, without outside help, across the U.S.
| State | Required income before taxes | Housing costs | Food costs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $28,652 | $7,357 | $3,177 |
| Alaska | $31,333 | $10,851 | $3,792 |
| Arizona | $31,077 | $9,363 | $3,792 |
| Arkansas | $27,652 | $6,526 | $3,171 |
| California | $38,823 | $15,235 | $3,792 |
| Colorado | $34,009 | $11,583 | $3,792 |
| Connecticut | $33,240 | $11,094 | $3,690 |
| Delaware | $31,868 | $9,765 | $3,177 |
| Florida | $30,825 | $10,756 | $3,177 |
| Georgia | $31,940 | $9,878 | $3,177 |
| Hawaii | $40,412 | $16,337 | $3,792 |
| Idaho | $29,007 | $7,047 | $3,792 |
| Illinois | $31,975 | $9,869 | $3,246 |
| Indiana | $27,955 | $7,072 | $3,246 |
| Iowa | $28,327 | $6,564 | $3,246 |
| Kansas | $28,093 | $7,154 | $3,246 |
| Kentucky | $28,048 | $6,510 | $3,177 |
| Louisiana | $29,251 | $7,981 | $3,177 |
| Maine | $31,043 | $8,809 | $3,690 |
| Maryland | $35,879 | $13,193 | $3,177 |
| Massachusetts | $36,889 | $15,894 | $3,690 |
| Michigan | $28,354 | $7,415 | $3,246 |
| Minnesota | $30,997 | $8,608 | $3,246 |
| Mississippi | $27,936 | $6,941 | $3,177 |
| Missouri | $28,535 | $6,976 | $3,246 |
| Montana | $29,004 | $7,209 | $3,792 |
| Nebraska | $28,234 | $6,913 | $3,246 |
| Nevada | $28,442 | $8,563 | $3,792 |
| New Hampshire | $30,089 | $10,155 | $3,690 |
| New Jersey | $33,696 | $12,740 | $3,690 |
| New Mexico | $29,057 | $7,300 | $3,792 |
| New York | $38,719 | $15,084 | $3,690 |
| North Carolina | $30,617 | $8,865 | $3,177 |
| North Dakota | $27,211 | $7,266 | $3,246 |
| Ohio | $27,369 | $6,779 | $3,246 |
| Oklahoma | $28,133 | $7,109 | $3,177 |
| Oregon | $35,050 | $11,314 | $3,792 |
| Pennsylvania | $27,861 | $8,443 | $3,690 |
| Rhode Island | $30,763 | $9,638 | $3,690 |
| South Carolina | $30,328 | $8,336 | $3,177 |
| South Dakota | $26,225 | $6,551 | $3,246 |
| Tennessee | $27,563 | $7,928 | $3,177 |
| Texas | $29,134 | $9,333 | $3,177 |
| Utah | $30,211 | $8,495 | $3,792 |
| Vermont | $31,057 | $10,061 | $3,690 |
| Virginia | $34,552 | $12,162 | $3,177 |
| Washington | $33,982 | $13,739 | $3,792 |
| West Virginia | $27,837 | $7,062 | $3,177 |
| Wisconsin | $29,160 | $7,325 | $3,246 |
| Wyoming | $27,425 | $7,732 | $3,792 |