Ten U.S. States Where Living Is Actually Expensive: You will Need at Least $100,000 Just to Feel Comfortable

Using the well-known 50/30/20 budgeting guideline, SmartAsset has conducted a new analysis that shows that at least ten states now demand a six-figure wage simply to maintain a basic, balanced lifestyle, and in certain regions, even that will not go very far.

Let us dissect it — in a subtle way.

 To begin with, what exactly does "living comfortably" mean?

The 50/30/20 rule, a popular guideline that divides 50% of your income into necessities (such as housing, food, transportation, and healthcare), 30% into discretionary spending (such as eating out, hobbies, and streaming subscriptions), and 20% toward financial objectives (such as debt repayment, retirement, and savings), served as the foundation for SmartAsset's calculations.

Using that approach, the researchers calculated the income required in each state for a single person or a family of four to avoid living paycheck to paycheck and still save money for the future.

To keep up, the average person must earn $5,844 more in 2025 than they did in 2024. Families? Just to stay afloat, they require around $9,400 more.The Ten Most Expensive States for Comfortable Living

Comfort is the most expensive in these states; certainly, it will cost you at least $100,000 a year to support yourself as a single person.

1. Single Adult Hawaii: $124,467

Four-person family: $294,362

The cost of paradise is high. Hawaii continues to be the most expensive area in the United States to live comfortably due to imported commodities, exorbitant rent, and regular island expenses.

2. Massachusetts Family: $313,747; Single: $120,141

It is not a typo; a family in the Bay State needs more than $313,000 to live comfortably. Place the blame on rising living expenses, the property market, and the cost of child care.

3. California Family: $287,456; Single: $119,475

California's high cost of living is widely known, from the tech hubs of the Bay Area to the sprawling, sun-kissed city of L.A., and this data just serves to corroborate that.

4. New York Family: $276,973; Single: $114,691

High property taxes and exorbitant living expenses are not exclusive to New York City; they are found far outside of the five boroughs.

5. Washington Family: $277,888; Single: $109,658

The Evergreen State has become more costly due to Seattle's expanding tech industry, especially for families balancing daycare and mortgage payments.

6. New Jersey Family: $282,714; Single: $108,992

Jersey is one of the most expensive comfort zones due to the long commute to New York, high property taxes, and a cost of living that has not decreased much.

7. Maryland Family: $259,168; Single: $108,867

Being close to Washington, D.C., offers many advantages, but it also comes with higher costs, particularly in the suburbs.

8. Virginia Family: $241,696; Single: $106,704

Even though Northern Virginia is thriving, everyone from Arlington to Richmond is being impacted by the ripple effect on housing, transit, and school prices.

9. Colorado Family: $273,728; Single: $105,955

The cost of living in the mountains is high. Comfort comes at a high cost, both literally and figuratively, due to the increased demand for homes in places like Denver and Boulder.

10. Oregon Family: $261,914; Single: $104,666

Oregon is now on this list due to rising food prices, electricity costs, and rent. That dream from Portland? It requires a large salary.

Where Six Figures Are Not Necessary (Yet)

A version of the American Dream that does not require six figures is still available in some states. However, the cost of living is rapidly rising even in these "cheaper" locations.

A Closer Look at Alabama

With an annual cost of $85,280 for a single adult to live comfortably, Alabama is ranked ninth among the least expensive states for individuals, up 1.74% from 2024. The amount rises to $193,606 for a family of four, a little 0.47% increase from the previous year.

Alabama's cost of living is steadily increasing, pushing more people into financial difficulty even though it is still less expensive than the nation's largest cities like California or New York.

Conclusion: Comfort Has a Price

Particularly in high-cost regions, what used to be considered "comfortable" living—a modest home, a dependable automobile, the odd trip, and the capacity to save—now necessitates a far higher income. Furthermore, the gap between income and comfort is only widening as housing shortages and inflation continue to simmer beneath the surface.

A stable work alone will not be enough to keep you financially comfortable in 2025, no matter where you live. It calls for careful budgeting, a realistic assessment of the cost of living in your area, and perhaps a second look at whether your ZIP code is contributing to or detracting from your financial situation.