The Salary Needed to Live Comfortably in Every US State in 2026
United States – November 03, 2026 -- A single adult now needs at least $80,000 a year to live comfortably in every US state, and the threshold tops $100,000 in nearly half of them, according to a new SmartAsset analysis. For a family of four, the required income reaches as high as $329,000.
The estimate builds on MIT living wage data and the 50/30/20 rule
SmartAsset started with the MIT Living Wage Calculator, which shows what a full-time worker must earn to cover minimum basic needs. It then adjusted each figure with the 50/30/20 budgeting rule: 50% of income for necessities such as housing and utilities, 30% for discretionary spending and 20% for savings. The result is the annual pre-tax income needed to live comfortably in each state.