From Massachusetts to Mississippi: Exploring the Range of Living Costs Across America

SmartAsset conducted a research that talked about how much money a family needs monthly to live comfortably in every state of the USA. A comfortable lifestyle is often divided by 50/30/20 rules where 50% income is spent on necessities, 30% of income is spent on nonessential expenses like entertainment etc. and 20% of income is for savings or investments. So, according to the data collected from different states, the report ranks Massachusetts as the most expensive state in the USA to live in. You need to have a total of $301,184 annual income for a family (which included only 2 working adults raising 2 children). The reason why this state is most expensive is probably because of its housing and real estate market trends. The houses are too costly to buy and the rents are barely affordable for a middle class family. The healthcare and utilities in Massachusetts are also very expensive.

The second most expensive city to live in the US is Hawaii. If you are two working adults with two children, you should have $294,611 annual income to have a comfortable lifestyle. Connecticut is the third most expensive state with $279,885 income on average to live comfortably. Other states in the top list of most expensive states to live in the USA include New York ($278,970), California ($276,723), Colorado ($264,992), Washington ($257,421), Oregon (257,338), New Jersey ($251,181) and Rhode Island ($249,267).

The three most least expensive states in the USA to live comfortably are Mississippi, Arkansas and West Virginia. Mississippi is the least expensive with $177,798 annual income to live comfortably. Arkansas is the second least expensive state and requires $180,794 yearly income while West Virginia is the third least expensive with $189,363 annual income to have a comfortable lifestyle.

State	Hourly wage needed for a single adult	Annual salary needed for a single adult	Annual income for 2 working adults raising 2 children
Massachusetts	$55.78	$116,022	$301,184
Hawaii	$54.66	$113,693	$294,611
California	$54.64	$113,651	$276,723
New York	$53.72	$111,738	$278,970
Washington	$51.20	$106,496	$257,421
Colorado	$49.66	$103,293	$264,992
New Jersey	$49.52	$103,002	$251,181
Maryland	$49.48	$102,918	$239,450
Oregon	$48.60	$101,088	$257,338
Rhode Island	$48.48	$100,838	$249,267
Connecticut	$48.26	$100,381	$279,885
Virginia	$48.06	$99,965	$235,206
New Hampshire	$47.16	$98,093	$244,109
Arizona	$46.80	$97,344	$230,630
Georgia	$46.58	$96,886	$212,826
Alaska	$46.52	$96,762	$242,611
Vermont	$46.04	$95,763	$248,352
Illinois	$45.72	$95,098	$231,962
Delaware	$45.26	$94,141	$228,966
Utah	$45.04	$93,683	$218,483
Nevada	$44.92	$93,434	$237,286
Florida	$44.86	$93,309	$209,082
Maine	$44.08	$91,686	$229,549
Pennsylvania	$43.90	$91,312	$230,464
North Carolina	$43.12	$89,690	$209,331
Minnesota	$42.90	$89,232	$244,774
Idaho	$42.66	$88,733	$211,245
South Carolina	$42.46	$88,317	$200,762
Wyoming	$42.14	$87,651	$203,424
Texas	$41.84	$87,027	$201,344
Tennessee	$41.54	$86,403	$195,770
Indiana	$40.88	$85,030	$206,003
Montana	$40.74	$84,739	$211,411
Kansas	$40.70	$84,656	$196,768
Michigan	$40.56	$84,365	$214,490
Wisconsin	$40.44	$84,115	$225,056
Missouri	$40.40	$84,032	$202,259
Alabama	$40.30	$83,824	$193,606
Nebraska	$40.24	$83,699	$213,075
New Mexico	$40.20	$83,616	$203,923
Iowa	$40.08	$83,366	$211,411
Mississippi	$39.78	$82,742	$177,798
Louisiana	$39.64	$82,451	$189,613
South Dakota	$39.16	$81,453	$192,608
Kentucky	$38.80	$80,704	$190,112
Ohio	$38.80	$80,704	$209,331
North Dakota	$38.72	$80,538	$202,176
Oklahoma	$38.66	$80,413	$194,106
Arkansas	$38.20	$79,456	$180,794
West Virginia	$37.88	$78,790	$189,363

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by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World