If you’re raising a family of four in 2024, you’ll need a six-figure income in 26 U.S. states. That’s more than half of America where you’ll need to earn $100,000 or more annually to budget for and comfortably raise a family.
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GOBankingRates surveyed annual living expenses for a family of four across the United States using data from the 2023 Consumer Expenditure Survey and for a married couple with children from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Living wage” is defined as the income required to cover 50% necessities, 30% discretionary spending and 20% for savings. Using the 50-30-20 budget rule, the study doubled the total annual expenditure on necessities to determine the “living wage” for a family of four in each state.
Ranked in order from states from the lowest to highest earnings, here’s how much living wage is necessary for families of four.
1. West Virginia
- Living wage for a family of four: $82,338
- Annual cost of housing: $13,454
- Annual cost of groceries: $5,731
- Annual cost of healthcare: $7,465
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2. Mississippi
- Living wage for a family of four: $87,564
- Annual cost of housing: $15,846
- Annual cost of groceries: $6,750
- Annual cost of healthcare: $7,373
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3. Alabama
- Living wage for a family of four: $87,607
- Annual cost of housing: $15,670
- Annual cost of groceries: $6,675
- Annual cost of healthcare: $6,949
4. Kansas
- Living wage for a family of four: $87,944
- Annual cost of housing: $15,517
- Annual cost of groceries: $6,610
- Annual cost of healthcare: $7,141
5. Arkansas
- Living wage for a family of four: $88,312
- Annual cost of housing: $16,504
- Annual cost of groceries: $7,030
- Annual cost of healthcare: $6,617
6. Oklahoma
- Living wage for a family of four: $90,659
- Annual cost of housing: $16,394
- Annual cost of groceries: $6,984
- Annual cost of healthcare: $7,658
7. Iowa
- Living wage for a family of four: $91,667
- Annual cost of housing: $16,548
- Annual cost of groceries: $7,049
- Annual cost of healthcare: $7,458
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8. Missouri
- Living wage for a family of four: $91,669
- Annual cost of housing: $17,250
- Annual cost of groceries: $7,348
- Annual cost of healthcare: $7,064
9. Tennessee
- Living wage for a family of four: $92,179
- Annual cost of housing: $18,172
- Annual cost of groceries: $7,741
- Annual cost of healthcare: $6,756
10. Kentucky
- Living wage for a family of four: $93,349
- Annual cost of housing: $17,075
- Annual cost of groceries: $7,274
- Annual cost of healthcare: $7,820
11. Indiana
- Living wage for a family of four: $93,544
- Annual cost of housing: $16,965
- Annual cost of groceries: $7,227
- Annual cost of healthcare: $7,535
12. Michigan
- Living wage for a family of four: $93,807
- Annual cost of housing: $17,228
- Annual cost of groceries: $7,339
- Annual cost of healthcare: $6,987
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13. Nebraska
- Living wage for a family of four: $94,102
- Annual cost of housing: $17,448
- Annual cost of groceries: $7,432
- Annual cost of healthcare: $7,820
14. Georgia
- Living wage for a family of four: $94,682
- Annual cost of housing: $17,382
- Annual cost of groceries: $7,404
- Annual cost of healthcare: $7,550
15. North Dakota
- Living wage for a family of four: $94,752
- Annual cost of housing: $17,514
- Annual cost of groceries: $7,461
- Annual cost of healthcare: $8,152
16. Louisiana
- Living wage for a family of four: $95,480
- Annual cost of housing: $18,523
- Annual cost of groceries: $7,891
- Annual cost of healthcare: $7,342
17. Texas
- Living wage for a family of four: $95,763
- Annual cost of housing: $17,843
- Annual cost of groceries: $7,601
- Annual cost of healthcare: $7,319
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18. New Mexico
- Living wage for a family of four: $96,130
- Annual cost of housing: $18,633
- Annual cost of groceries: $7,937
- Annual cost of healthcare: $8,105
19. Minnesota
- Living wage for a family of four: $96,640
- Annual cost of housing: $17,623
- Annual cost of groceries: $7,507
- Annual cost of healthcare: $8,090
20. Montana
- Living wage for a family of four: $96,870
- Annual cost of housing: $18,567
- Annual cost of groceries: $7,909
- Annual cost of healthcare: $7,450
21. South Carolina
- Living wage for a family of four: $98,082
- Annual cost of housing: $18,962
- Annual cost of groceries: $8,078
- Annual cost of healthcare: $7,203
22. Pennsylvania
- Living wage for a family of four: $98,427
- Annual cost of housing: $18,326
- Annual cost of groceries: $7,806
- Annual cost of healthcare: $7,072
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23. Maryland
- Living wage for a family of four: $98,585
- Annual cost of housing: $18,040
- Annual cost of groceries: $7,685
- Annual cost of healthcare: $7,110
24. Ohio
- Living wage for a family of four: $99,453
- Annual cost of housing: $19,226
- Annual cost of groceries: $8,190
- Annual cost of healthcare: $7,488
25. South Dakota
- Living wage for a family of four: $100,000
- Annual cost of housing: $19,686
- Annual cost of groceries: $8,386
- Annual cost of healthcare: $7,805
26. Illinois
- Living wage for a family of four: $100,332
- Annual cost of housing: $18,479
- Annual cost of groceries: $7,872
- Annual cost of healthcare: $7,758
27. Wyoming
- Living wage for a family of four: $100,750
- Annual cost of housing: $19,774
- Annual cost of groceries: $8,423
- Annual cost of healthcare: $7,751
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28. North Carolina
- Living wage for a family of four: $104,582
- Annual cost of housing: $20,981
- Annual cost of groceries: $8,938
- Annual cost of healthcare: $8,044
29. Delaware
- Living wage for a family of four: $107,042
- Annual cost of housing: $21,179
- Annual cost of groceries: $9,022
- Annual cost of healthcare: $7,828
30. Wisconsin
- Living wage for a family of four: $107,324
- Annual cost of housing: $21,618
- Annual cost of groceries: $9,209
- Annual cost of healthcare: $8,128
31. Idaho
- Living wage for a family of four: $107,412
- Annual cost of housing: $21,749
- Annual cost of groceries: $9,265
- Annual cost of healthcare: $7,820
32. Virginia
- Living wage for a family of four: $111,303
- Annual cost of housing: $22,781
- Annual cost of groceries: $9,704
- Annual cost of healthcare: $8,198
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33. Florida
- Living wage for a family of four: $112,401
- Annual cost of housing: $23,637
- Annual cost of groceries: $10,069
- Annual cost of healthcare: $7,350
34. Colorado
- Living wage for a family of four: $112,828
- Annual cost of housing: $23,615
- Annual cost of groceries: $10,060
- Annual cost of healthcare: $7,982
35. Nevada
- Living wage for a family of four: $112,965
- Annual cost of housing: $23,439
- Annual cost of groceries: $9,985
- Annual cost of healthcare: $6,486
36. Rhode Island
- Living wage for a family of four: $123,298
- Annual cost of housing: $25,107
- Annual cost of groceries: $10,695
- Annual cost of healthcare: $8,260
37. New Hampshire
- Living wage for a family of four: $123,863
- Annual cost of housing: $25,502
- Annual cost of groceries: $10,864
- Annual cost of healthcare: $8,506
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38. Connecticut
- Living wage for a family of four: $126,753
- Annual cost of housing: $25,722
- Annual cost of groceries: $10,957
- Annual cost of healthcare: $8,661
39. Utah
- Living wage for a family of four: $128,484
- Annual cost of housing: $28,465
- Annual cost of groceries: $12,126
- Annual cost of healthcare: $6,925
40. Washington
- Living wage for a family of four: $131,024
- Annual cost of housing: $27,807
- Annual cost of groceries: $11,845
- Annual cost of healthcare: $8,977
41. Arizona
- Living wage for a family of four: $131,102
- Annual cost of housing: $29,848
- Annual cost of groceries: $12,715
- Annual cost of healthcare: $6,918
42. Oregon
- Living wage for a family of four: $131,824
- Annual cost of housing: $28,904
- Annual cost of groceries: $12,313
- Annual cost of healthcare: $8,637
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43. Vermont
- Living wage for a family of four: $131,996
- Annual cost of housing: $29,211
- Annual cost of groceries: $12,444
- Annual cost of healthcare: $8,738
44. New Jersey
- Living wage for a family of four: $134,990
- Annual cost of housing: $30,331
- Annual cost of groceries: $12,920
- Annual cost of healthcare: $8,229
45. Maine
- Living wage for a family of four: $135,943
- Annual cost of housing: $29,804
- Annual cost of groceries: $12,696
- Annual cost of healthcare: $8,707
46. Alaska
- Living wage for a family of four: $136,990
- Annual cost of housing: $25,854
- Annual cost of groceries: $11,013
- Annual cost of healthcare: $11,290
47. New York
- Living wage for a family of four: $155,738
- Annual cost of housing: $37,354
- Annual cost of groceries: $15,912
- Annual cost of healthcare: $8,607
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48. California
- Living wage for a family of four: $188,269
- Annual cost of housing: $45,891
- Annual cost of groceries: $19,549
- Annual cost of healthcare: $8,213
49. Massachusetts
- Living wage for a family of four: $199,671
- Annual cost of housing: $49,600
- Annual cost of groceries: $21,129
- Annual cost of healthcare: $10,033
50. Hawaii
- Living wage for a family of four: $258,918
- Annual cost of housing: $66,412
- Annual cost of groceries: $28,290
- Annual cost of healthcare: $9,540
Heather Taylor contributed to the reporting for this piece.
Methodology: GOBankingRates surveyed annual living expenses for a family of four in all 50 states, using the 2023 Consumer Expenditure Survey (latest available) data for a married couple with children (oldest child 6-17) from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The itemized costs of living evaluated were housing, groceries, utilities, healthcare and transportation, collectively termed “necessities.” Based on each state’s respective cost-of-living index for each category, sourced from the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center’s 2024 Q3 Cost of Living Data Series, the study calculated the annual cost of each necessity and summed them up to find total annual expenditure on necessities. Using the 50-30-20 budget rule, which allocates 50% of income for necessities, the study doubled the total annual expenditure on necessities in order to determine the “living wage” for a family of four in each state. “Living wage” is defined as the income required to be able to cover 50% necessities, 30% discretionary/luxury spending and 20% for savings. All data was collected on and is up to date as of Dec. 11, 2024.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: The Living Wage a Family of Four Needs in All 50 States
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