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Home » Here’s how much money a family of 4 needs to get by in every U.S. state
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Here’s how much money a family of 4 needs to get by in every U.S. state

News RoomBy News RoomSeptember 6, 20231 Views0
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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:

  1. Hawaii: $182,900
  2. Massachusetts: $142,341
  3. California: $130,239
  4. New York: $118,127
  5. Alaska: $113,079
  6. Maryland: $110,244
  7. Oregon: $106,779
  8. Vermont: $106,692
  9. Washington: $105,080
  10. New Jersey: $104,770
  11. Connecticut: $101,030
  12. 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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