Here's how much money a family of 4 needs to get by in every U.S. state (2024)

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.

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $75,724

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $113,079

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $97,345

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $76,456

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $130,239

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $95,563

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $101,030

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $91,293

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $92,271

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $78,448

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $182,900

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $94,874

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $79,899

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $80,144

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $78,025

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $75,924

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $77,842

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $80,451

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $99,158

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $110,244

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $142,341

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $80,998

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $81,931

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $73,381

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $77,197

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $92,367

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $79,007

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $95,755

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $100,436

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $104,770

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $82,047

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $118,127

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $84,957

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $83,852

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $81,006

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $74,253

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $106,779

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $87,500

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $95,929

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $84,062

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $83,708

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $79,054

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $81,374

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $89,936

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $106,692

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $91,955

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $105,080

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $76,905

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $84,156

• Annual living wage for a family of four: $79,879

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