Here’s How Much Money Someone Needs To Make To Get By In Every State

Region by region, state by state, city by city, earning enough money to get by looks different everywhere for single people. MIT’s Living Wage Calculator gives us an estimate of the minimum income a single person would need in each state to keep them above the poverty line.

Source: Make it / MIT Living Wage Calculator / Tilegrams&NPR

The calculator considers the cost of food, housing, health care, and other important budget line items like personal care and housekeeping goods. It also takes into account the state’s minimum wage. The recent update included cell and Wi-Fi expenses and pets, clubs, and movie outings.

Living costs have been on the rise — we’re spending more to get around, to live, and to eat. Here’s how each state shapes up:


1. Alabama

  • Total required income before taxes: $28,652
  • Estimated housing costs: $7,357
  • Estimated food costs: $3,177

2. Alaska

  • Total required income before taxes: $31,333
  • Estimated housing costs: $10,851
  • Estimated food costs: $3,792

3. Arizona

  • Total required income before taxes: $31,077
  • Estimated housing costs: $9,363
  • Estimated food costs: $3,792

4. Arkansas

  • Total required income before taxes: $27,652
  • Estimated housing costs: $6,526
  • Estimated food costs: $3,171
Photo by Julian Myles on Unsplash

5. California

  • Total required income before taxes: $38,823
  • Estimated housing costs: $15,235
  • Estimated food costs: $3,792

6. Colorado

  • Total required income before taxes: $34,009
  • Estimated housing costs: $11,583
  • Estimated food costs: $3,792

7. Connecticut

  • Total required income before taxes: $33,240
  • Estimated housing costs: $11,094
  • Estimated food costs: $3,690

8. Delaware

  • Total required income before taxes: $31,868
  • Estimated housing costs: $9,765
  • Estimated food costs: $3,177

9. Florida

  • Total required income before taxes: $30,825
  • Estimated housing costs: $10,756
  • Estimated food costs: $3,177

10. Georgia

  • Total required income before taxes: $31,940
  • Estimated housing costs: $9,878
  • Estimated food costs: $3,177

11. Hawaii

  • Total required income before taxes: $40,412
  • Estimated housing costs: $16,337
  • Estimated food costs: $3,792

12. Idaho

  • Total required income before taxes: $29,007
  • Estimated housing costs: $7,047
  • Estimated food costs: $3,792

13. Illinois

  • Total required income before taxes: $31,975
  • Estimated housing costs: $9,869
  • Estimated food costs: $3,246

14. Indiana

  • Total required income before taxes: $27,955
  • Estimated housing costs: $7,072
  • Estimated food costs: $3,246

15. Iowa

  • Total required income before taxes: $28,327
  • Estimated housing costs: $6,564
  • Estimated food costs: $3,246

16. Kansas

  • Total required income before taxes: $28,093
  • Estimated housing costs: $7,154
  • Estimated food costs: $3,246

17. Kentucky

  • Total required income before taxes: $28,048
  • Estimated housing costs: $6,510
  • Estimated food costs: $3,177

18. Louisiana

  • Total required income before taxes: $29,251
  • Estimated housing costs:$7,981
  • Estimated food costs: $3,177

19. Maine

  • Total required income before taxes: $31,043
  • Estimated housing costs: $8,809
  • Estimated food costs: $3,690
Photo by Breanna Klemm on Unsplash

20. Maryland

  • Total required income before taxes: $35,879
  • Estimated housing costs: $13,193
  • Estimated food costs: $3,177

21. Massachusetts

  • Total required income before taxes: $36,889
  • Estimated housing costs: $15,894
  • Estimated food costs: $3,690

22. Michigan

  • Total required income before taxes: $28,354
  • Estimated housing costs: $7,415
  • Estimated food costs: $3,246

23. Minnesota

  • Total required income before taxes: $30,997
  • Estimated housing costs: $8,608
  • Estimated food costs: $3,246

24. Mississippi

  • Total required income before taxes: $27,936
  • Estimated housing costs: $6,941
  • Estimated food costs: $3,177

25. Missouri

  • Total required income before taxes: $28,535
  • Estimated housing costs: $6,976
  • Estimated food costs: $3,246

26. Montana

  • Total required income before taxes: $29,004
  • Estimated housing costs: $7,209
  • Estimated food costs: $3,792

27. Nebraska

  • Total required income before taxes: $28,234
  • Estimated housing costs: $6,913
  • Estimated food costs: $3,246

28. Nevada

  • Total required income before taxes: $28,442
  • Estimated housing costs: $8,563
  • Estimated food costs: $3,792

29. New Hampshire

  • Total required income before taxes: $30,089
  • Estimated housing costs: $10,155
  • Estimated food costs: $3,690

30. New Jersey

  • Total required income before taxes: $33,696
  • Estimated housing costs: $12,740
  • Estimated food costs: $3,690

31. New Mexico

  • Total required income before taxes: $29,057
  • Estimated housing costs: $7,300
  • Estimated food costs: $3,792
Photo by Manisha Raghunath on Unsplash

32. New York

  • Total required income before taxes: $38,719
  • Estimated housing costs: $15,084
  • Estimated food costs: $3,690

33. North Carolina

  • Total required income before taxes: $30,617
  • Estimated housing costs: $8,865
  • Estimated food costs: $3,177

34. North Dakota

  • Total required income before taxes: $27,211
  • Estimated housing costs: $7,266
  • Estimated food costs: $3,246

35. Ohio

  • Total required income before taxes: $27,369
  • Estimated housing costs: $6,779
  • Estimated food costs: $3,246

36. Oklahoma

  • Total required income before taxes: $28,133
  • Estimated housing costs: $7,109
  • Estimated food costs: $3,177

37. Oregon

  • Total required income before taxes: $35,050
  • Estimated housing costs: $11,314
  • Estimated food costs: $3,792

38. Pennsylvania

  • Total required income before taxes: $27,861
  • Estimated housing costs: $8,443
  • Estimated food costs: $3,690

39. Rhode Island

  • Total required income before taxes: $30,763
  • Estimated housing costs: $9,638
  • Estimated food costs: $3,690

40. South Carolina

  • Total required income before taxes: $30,328
  • Estimated housing costs: $8,336
  • Estimated food costs: $3,177

41. South Dakota

  • Total required income before taxes: $26,225
  • Estimated housing costs: $6,551
  • Estimated food costs: $3,246

42. Tennessee

  • Total required income before taxes: $27,563
  • Estimated housing costs: $7,928
  • Estimated food costs: $3,177

43. Texas

  • Total required income before taxes: $29,134
  • Estimated housing costs: $9,333
  • Estimated food costs: $3,177

44. Utah

  • Total required income before taxes: $30,211
  • Estimated housing costs: $8,495
  • Estimated food costs: $3,792
Photo by Peter James Eisenhaure on Unsplash

45. Vermont

  • Total required income before taxes: $31,057
  • Estimated housing costs: $10,061
  • Estimated food costs: $3,690

46. Virginia

  • Total required income before taxes: $34,552
  • Estimated housing costs: $12,162
  • Estimated food costs: $3,177

47. Washington

  • Total required income before taxes: $33,982
  • Estimated housing costs: $13,739
  • Estimated food costs: $3,792

48. West Virginia

  • Total required income before taxes: $27,837
  • Estimated housing costs: $7,062
  • Estimated food costs: $3,177

49. Wisconsin

  • Total required income before taxes: $29,160
  • Estimated housing costs: $7,325
  • Estimated food costs: $3,246

50. Wyoming

  • Total required income before taxes: $27,425
  • Estimated housing costs: $7,732
  • Estimated food costs: $3,792