For single people living in the U.S., earning enough money to make ends meet looks different for each person. But location can play a major role, since the cost of housing, food, insurance and other necessities varies from place to place.
MIT’s Living Wage Calculator estimates the minimum income necessary for a single person to cover their living expenses and stay above the poverty line, without outside help, across the U.S.
The calculator takes into account a number of factors, including the cost of food, health care, housing, transportation and other necessities, such as personal care, clothing and housekeeping supplies. It also considers each state’s minimum wage and looks at annual changes in consumer spending patterns.
The most recent update to the calculator included a few changes to its methodology. The calculator’s estimates now include cell phone and Wi-Fi expenses, as well as civic engagement expenditures, such as pets, clubs and movie or museum excursions.
Overall, living costs have been increasing for Americans. They are spending more on where they live, the food they buy and how they get around.
Here’s a closer look at what a living wage would be, before taxes, for a single person, including the estimated costs of housing and food, in every U.S. state.
Alabama
Total required income before taxes: $28,652
Estimated housing costs: $7,357
Estimated food costs: $3,177
Alaska
Total required income before taxes: $31,333
Estimated housing costs: $10,851
Estimated food costs: $3,792
Arizona
Total required income before taxes: $31,077
Estimated housing costs: $9,363
Estimated food costs: $3,792
Arkansas
Total required income before taxes: $27,652
Estimated housing costs: $6,526
Estimated food costs: $3,171
California
Total required income before taxes: $38,823
Estimated housing costs: $15,235
Estimated food costs: $3,792
Colorado
Total required income before taxes: $34,009
Estimated housing costs: $11,583
Estimated food costs: $3,792
Connecticut
Total required income before taxes: $33,240
Estimated housing costs: $11,094
Estimated food costs: $3,690
Delaware
Total required income before taxes: $31,868
Estimated housing costs: $9,765
Estimated food costs: $3,177
Wilmington, Delaware.
Wilmington, Delaware.Getty Images
Florida
Total required income before taxes: $30,825
Estimated housing costs: $10,756
Estimated food costs: $3,177
Georgia
Total required income before taxes: $31,940
Estimated housing costs: $9,878
Estimated food costs: $3,177
Hawaii
Total required income before taxes: $40,412
Estimated housing costs: $16,337
Estimated food costs: $3,792
Idaho
Total required income before taxes: $29,007
Estimated housing costs: $7,047
Estimated food costs: $3,792
Illinois
Total required income before taxes: $31,975
Estimated housing costs: $9,869
Estimated food costs: $3,246
Indiana
Total required income before taxes: $27,955
Estimated housing costs: $7,072
Estimated food costs: $3,246
Iowa
Total required income before taxes: $28,327
Estimated housing costs: $6,564
Estimated food costs: $3,246
Des Moines, Iowa.
Des Moines, Iowa.Jeremy Woodhouse | Getty Images
Kansas
Total required income before taxes: $28,093
Estimated housing costs: $7,154
Estimated food costs: $3,246
Kentucky
Total required income before taxes: $28,048
Estimated housing costs: $6,510
Estimated food costs: $3,177
Louisiana
Total required income before taxes: $29,251
Estimated housing costs:$7,981
Estimated food costs: $3,177
Maine
Total required income before taxes: $31,043
Estimated housing costs: $8,809
Estimated food costs: $3,690
Maryland
Total required income before taxes: $35,879
Estimated housing costs: $13,193
Estimated food costs: $3,177
Massachusetts
Total required income before taxes: $36,889
Estimated housing costs: $15,894
Estimated food costs: $3,690
Michigan
Total required income before taxes: $28,354
Estimated housing costs: $7,415
Estimated food costs: $3,246
Minnesota
Total required income before taxes: $30,997
Estimated housing costs: $8,608
Estimated food costs: $3,246
An early morning jog around Lake Calhoun, Minneapolis/St. Paul Minnesota.
An early morning jog around Lake Calhoun, Minneapolis/St. Paul Minnesota.John Elk | Getty Images
Mississippi
Total required income before taxes: $27,936
Estimated housing costs: $6,941
Estimated food costs: $3,177
Missouri
Total required income before taxes: $28,535
Estimated housing costs: $6,976
Estimated food costs: $3,246
Montana
Total required income before taxes: $29,004
Estimated housing costs: $7,209
Estimated food costs: $3,792
Nebraska
Total required income before taxes: $28,234
Estimated housing costs: $6,913
Estimated food costs: $3,246
Nevada
Total required income before taxes: $28,442
Estimated housing costs: $8,563
Estimated food costs: $3,792
New Hampshire
Total required income before taxes: $30,089
Estimated housing costs: $10,155
Estimated food costs: $3,690
New Jersey
Total required income before taxes: $33,696
Estimated housing costs: $12,740
Estimated food costs: $3,690
New Mexico
Total required income before taxes: $29,057
Estimated housing costs: $7,300
Estimated food costs: $3,792
New York
Total required income before taxes: $38,719
Estimated housing costs: $15,084
Estimated food costs: $3,690
North Carolina
Total required income before taxes: $30,617
Estimated housing costs: $8,865
Estimated food costs: $3,177
North Dakota
Total required income before taxes: $27,211
Estimated housing costs: $7,266
Estimated food costs: $3,246
Ohio
Total required income before taxes: $27,369
Estimated housing costs: $6,779
Estimated food costs: $3,246
Twenty/20
Oklahoma
Total required income before taxes: $28,133
Estimated housing costs: $7,109
Estimated food costs: $3,177
Oregon
Total required income before taxes: $35,050
Estimated housing costs: $11,314
Estimated food costs: $3,792
Pennsylvania
Total required income before taxes: $27,861
Estimated housing costs: $8,443
Estimated food costs: $3,690
Rhode Island
Total required income before taxes: $30,763
Estimated housing costs: $9,638
Estimated food costs: $3,690
South Carolina
Total required income before taxes: $30,328
Estimated housing costs: $8,336
Estimated food costs: $3,177
South Dakota
Total required income before taxes: $26,225
Estimated housing costs: $6,551
Estimated food costs: $3,246
Tennessee
Total required income before taxes: $27,563
Estimated housing costs: $7,928
Estimated food costs: $3,177
Texas
Total required income before taxes: $29,134
Estimated housing costs: $9,333
Estimated food costs: $3,177
DenisTangneyJr | iStock Unreleased | Getty Images
Utah
Total required income before taxes: $30,211
Estimated housing costs: $8,495
Estimated food costs: $3,792
Vermont
Total required income before taxes: $31,057
Estimated housing costs: $10,061
Estimated food costs: $3,690
Virginia
Total required income before taxes: $34,552
Estimated housing costs: $12,162
Estimated food costs: $3,177
Washington
Total required income before taxes: $33,982
Estimated housing costs: $13,739
Estimated food costs: $3,792
West Virginia
Total required income before taxes: $27,837
Estimated housing costs: $7,062
Estimated food costs: $3,177
Wisconsin
Total required income before taxes: $29,160
Estimated housing costs: $7,325
Estimated food costs: $3,246
Wyoming
Total required income before taxes: $27,425
Estimated housing costs: $7,732
Estimated food costs: $3,792
