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As nan costs of surviving continues to emergence successful nan U.S., a family of 4 needs to summation overmuch than ever to unrecorded "comfortably," according to a caller study by GOBankingRates.
Using accusation from nan Bureau of Labor Statistics and nan Missouri Economic Research and Information Center's 2024 Cost of Living accusation series, GOBankingRates researchers analyzed yearly surviving expenses for a family of 4 successful each 50 states. For nan report, a "living wage" is defined arsenic nan income required to surface 50% of necessities, 30% for discretionary spending, and 20% placed into savings.
The accusation tells an costly story.
Every state's surviving costs was astatine slightest $82,000 a year. In 26 states, a family of 4 has to summation astatine slightest $100,000 a twelvemonth to beryllium considered "financially secure," while successful 4 states, a family of 4 would petition to summation $150,000 to personification a surviving wage: Hawaii ($259K), Massachusetts ($200K), California ($188K), and New York ($155K).
Related: Millions of Americans Are Getting a Pay Bump This Year. Here's Where.
States erstwhile considered "affordable," according to nan report, (Florida, Virginia, Wisconsin, and North Carolina) now require a family of 4 to summation overmuch than $100,000 to beryllium "comfortable."
Here are nan astir and slightest costly states pinch surviving wages needed for a family of four.
Least expensive:
1. West Virginia
- Living costs for a family of four: $82,338
- Annual costs of housing: $13,454
- Annual costs of groceries: $5,731
- Annual costs of healthcare: $7,465
2. Mississippi
- Living costs for a family of four: $87,564
- Annual costs of housing: $15,846
- Annual costs of groceries: $6,750
- Annual costs of healthcare: $7,373
3. Alabama
- Living costs for a family of four: $87,607
- Annual costs of housing: $15,670
- Annual costs of groceries: $6,675
- Annual costs of healthcare: $6,949
4. Kansas
- Living costs for a family of four: $87,944
- Annual costs of housing: $15,517
- Annual costs of groceries: $6,610
- Annual costs of healthcare: $7,141
5. Arkansas
- Living costs for a family of four: $88,312
- Annual costs of housing: $16,504
- Annual costs of groceries: $7,030
- Annual costs of healthcare: $6,617
Related: Young People Earning More Than $200,000 a Year Are Fleeing 1 U.S. State — and Flocking to 2 Others
Most expensive:
46. Alaska
- Living costs for a family of four: $136,990
- Annual costs of housing: $25,854
- Annual costs of groceries: $11,013
- Annual costs of healthcare: $11,290
47. New York
- Living costs for a family of four: $155,738
- Annual costs of housing: $37,354
- Annual costs of groceries: $15,912
- Annual costs of healthcare: $8,607
48. California
- Living costs for a family of four: $188,269
- Annual costs of housing: $45,891
- Annual costs of groceries: $19,549
- Annual costs of healthcare: $8,213
49. Massachusetts
- Living costs for a family of four: $199,671
- Annual costs of housing: $49,600
- Annual costs of groceries: $21,129
- Annual costs of healthcare: $10,033
50. Hawaii
- Living costs for a family of four: $258,918
- Annual costs of housing: $66,412
- Annual costs of groceries: $28,290
- Annual costs of healthcare: $9,540
Read nan afloat study to spot wherever each 50 states rank, click here.