Key takeaways
Single Person Living Wage by State
Hawaii requires the highest income for a
Hawaii
Hawaii requires the highest income for a single adult to live in 2025, at $124,467, ahead of Massachusetts at $120,141 and California at $119,475.
West Virginia needs the least at
Virginia
West Virginia needs the least at $80,829, just below Arkansas at $81,078 and South Dakota at $82,160.
Montana posts the largest year-over-year
Montana
Montana posts the largest year-over-year increase at 9.57%, even though its $92,851 income requirement ranks only 27th. Hawaii is close behind at 9.48%, and Wyoming has the smallest increase of any state at 0.33%.
Map
Single Person Living Wage by State Map
| Rank | State | Income Needed |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | 124,467 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | 120,141 |
| 3 | California | 119,475 |
| 4 | New York | 114,691 |
| 5 | Washington | 109,658 |
| 6 | New Jersey | 108,992 |
| 7 | Maryland | 108,867 |
| 8 | Virginia | 106,704 |
| 9 | Colorado | 105,955 |
| 10 | Connecticut | 105,165 |
| 11 | Oregon | 104,666 |
| 12 | New Hampshire | 103,085 |
| 13 | Arizona | 101,587 |
| 14 | Rhode Island | 101,338 |
| 15 | Alaska | 100,298 |
| 16 | Vermont | 99,632 |
| 17 | Georgia | 99,590 |
| 18 | Utah | 99,466 |
| 19 | Nevada | 99,216 |
| 20 | Illinois | 98,010 |
| 21 | Delaware | 97,469 |
| 22 | Florida | 97,386 |
| 23 | Maine | 96,595 |
| 24 | Idaho | 96,429 |
| 25 | Pennsylvania | 95,306 |
| 26 | North Carolina | 93,766 |
| 27 | Montana | 92,851 |
| 28 | South Carolina | 92,144 |
| 29 | Minnesota | 91,728 |
| 30 | Tennessee | 91,478 |
| 31 | Texas | 90,771 |
| 32 | Wyoming | 87,942 |
| 33 | Kansas | 87,610 |
| 34 | New Mexico | 87,402 |
| 35 | Nebraska | 87,318 |
| 36 | Michigan | 87,235 |
| 37 | Wisconsin | 87,194 |
| 38 | Iowa | 86,902 |
| 39 | Missouri | 86,819 |
| 40 | Indiana | 86,570 |
| 41 | Mississippi | 86,320 |
| 42 | Louisiana | 85,322 |
| 43 | Alabama | 85,280 |
| 44 | Ohio | 84,781 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | 84,282 |
| 46 | Kentucky | 83,574 |
| 47 | North Dakota | 82,285 |
| 48 | South Dakota | 82,160 |
| 49 | Arkansas | 81,078 |
| 50 | West Virginia | 80,829 |
Hawaii leads at $124,467, followed by Massachusetts at $120,141 and California at $119,475. West Virginia is lowest at $80,829, just below Arkansas at $81,078.
Income Needed (2025): highest, median, and lowest
Single Person Living Wage by State Table
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|
Rank
|
State
|
Income Needed (2025)
|
Change from 2024
|
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Hawaii
|
$124,467 | 9.48% |
| 2 |
Massachusetts
|
$120,141 | 3.55% |
| 3 |
California
|
$119,475 | 5.12% |
| 4 |
New York
|
$114,691 | 2.64% |
| 5 |
Washington
|
$109,658 | 2.97% |
| 6 |
New Jersey
|
$108,992 | 5.82% |
| 7 |
Maryland
|
$108,867 | 5.78% |
| 8 |
Virginia
|
$106,704 | 6.74% |
| 9 |
Colorado
|
$105,955 | 2.58% |
| 10 |
Connecticut
|
$105,165 | 4.77% |
| 11 |
Oregon
|
$104,666 | 3.54% |
| 12 |
New Hampshire
|
$103,085 | 5.09% |
| 13 |
Arizona
|
$101,587 | 4.36% |
| 14 |
Rhode Island
|
$101,338 | 0.50% |
| 15 |
Alaska
|
$100,298 | 3.65% |
| 16 |
Vermont
|
$99,632 | 4.04% |
| 17 |
Georgia
|
$99,590 | 2.79% |
| 18 |
Utah
|
$99,466 | 6.17% |
| 19 |
Nevada
|
$99,216 | 6.19% |
| 20 |
Illinois
|
$98,010 | 3.06% |
| 21 |
Delaware
|
$97,469 | 3.54% |
| 22 |
Florida
|
$97,386 | 4.37% |
| 23 |
Maine
|
$96,595 | 5.35% |
| 24 |
Idaho
|
$96,429 | 8.67% |
| 25 |
Pennsylvania
|
$95,306 | 4.37% |
| 26 |
North Carolina
|
$93,766 | 4.55% |
| 27 |
Montana
|
$92,851 | 9.57% |
| 28 |
South Carolina
|
$92,144 | 4.33% |
| 29 |
Minnesota
|
$91,728 | 2.80% |
| 30 |
Tennessee
|
$91,478 | 5.87% |
| 31 |
Texas
|
$90,771 | 4.30% |
| 32 |
Wyoming
|
$87,942 | 0.33% |
| 33 |
Kansas
|
$87,610 | 3.49% |
| 34 |
New Mexico
|
$87,402 | 4.53% |
| 35 |
Nebraska
|
$87,318 | 4.32% |
| 36 |
Michigan
|
$87,235 | 3.40% |
| 37 |
Wisconsin
|
$87,194 | 3.66% |
| 38 |
Iowa
|
$86,902 | 4.24% |
| 39 |
Missouri
|
$86,819 | 3.32% |
| 40 |
Indiana
|
$86,570 | 1.81% |
| 41 |
Mississippi
|
$86,320 | 4.32% |
| 42 |
Louisiana
|
$85,322 | 3.48% |
| 43 |
Alabama
|
$85,280 | 1.74% |
| 44 |
Ohio
|
$84,781 | 5.05% |
| 45 |
Oklahoma
|
$84,282 | 4.81% |
| 46 |
Kentucky
|
$83,574 | 3.56% |
| 47 |
North Dakota
|
$82,285 | 2.17% |
| 48 |
South Dakota
|
$82,160 | 0.87% |
| 49 |
Arkansas
|
$81,078 | 2.04% |
| 50 |
West Virginia
|
$80,829 | 2.59% |
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Distribution
How income needed (2025) varies across 50 states
The top three states account for 7.6% of the combined total.
States Where a Single Adult Needs the Most and Least Income
Highest
124467
Hawaii
Lowest
80829
West Virginia
Top 10 Highest — Income Needed (2025)
Top 10 Lowest — Income Needed (2025)
Highest Income Needed for Single Adults
Hawaii tops the list at $124,467, well above Massachusetts at $120,141 and California at $119,475. New York rounds out the top four at $114,691.
Washington is fifth at $109,658, followed by New Jersey at $108,992 and Maryland at $108,867. Virginia is eighth at $106,704, the last state above $105,000.
Lowest Income Needed for Single Adults
West Virginia requires the least income at $80,829, just below Arkansas at $81,078. South Dakota is third-lowest at $82,160, with North Dakota close behind at $82,285.
Kentucky is next at $83,574, and Oklahoma is at $84,282. Every state in this cluster requires less than $85,000, under a third of Hawaii's $124,467.
States With the Fastest-Rising Living Costs
Montana posts the largest year-over-year increase at 9.57%, even though its $92,851 income requirement ranks only 27th overall. Hawaii is close behind at 9.48%, reinforcing its first-place ranking, and Idaho follows at 8.67%.
Wyoming has the smallest increase of any state at 0.33%, despite needing $87,942 in income. Rhode Island is next lowest at 0.50%, and South Dakota is at 0.87%.
Quick Answers
How much income does a single adult need in Hawaii?
Which state requires the lowest income for a single adult?
Which state had the biggest increase in living costs from 2024 to 2025?
How much does a single adult need to live in California?
Which state had the smallest increase in living costs from 2024 to 2025?
How much does a single adult need to live in Texas?
Methodology
Figures show the annual income a single adult needs to cover basic living costs in each state for 2025, along with the percentage change from 2024, compiled by USA Symbol from state-level living wage estimates.
Sources
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