The ‘Living Wage’ in Every State

Can you afford to live where you are? The answer depends on two factors — your earnings and the cost of living in your area.

The federal minimum wage in the United States is $7.25 per hour. Some states and cities set their minimum wages higher — including many states that have increased their minimum wages this year, as we detail in “The Minimum Wage in Every State in 2022.”

The cost of living varies a great deal across the country. But even in lower-cost areas, a minimum-wage job is not enough to support oneself, much less a family.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Department of Urban Studies and Planning calculates a “living wage” for each state and the District of Columbia that take into account the costs in each area. We used MIT’s newly updated Living Wage Calculator for a state-by-state look at what it takes in 2022 to earn enough to enjoy a basic standard of living.

This ranking starts where the living wage is highest. See if you make a living wage for your state.

51. District of Columbia

This district’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $23.13 per hour
One working adult and one child: $43.07 per hour
Two working adults: $16.45 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $23.34 per hour (per adult)

50. Hawaii

Hawaii’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $21.99 per hour
One working adult and one child: $41.71 per hour
Two working adults: $16.26 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $22.72 per hour (per adult)

49. New York

New York’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $21.99 per hour
One working adult and one child: $40.78 per hour
Two working adults: $15.57 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $22.12 per hour (per adult)

48. Massachusetts

Massachusetts’ living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $21.88 per hour
One working adult and one child: $44.23 per hour
Two working adults: $15.65 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $23.81 per hour (per adult)

47. California

California’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $21.82 per hour
One working adult and one child: $44.18 per hour
Two working adults: $16.79 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $23.98 per hour (per adult)

46. New Jersey

New Jersey’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $20.57 per hour
One working adult and one child: $41.90 per hour
Two working adults: $15.36 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $22.68 per hour (per adult)

45. Maryland

Maryland’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $19.74 per hour
One working adult and one child: $37.68 per hour
Two working adults: $14.51 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $20.56 per hour (per adult)

44. Oregon

Oregon’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $19.51 per hour
One working adult and one child: $36.56 per hour
Two working adults: $14.50 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $20.15 per hour (per adult)

43. Virginia

Virginia’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $19.40 per hour
One working adult and one child: $36.20 per hour
Two working adults: $13.97 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $19.84 per hour (per adult)

42. Colorado

Colorado’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $19.16 per hour
One working adult and one child: $37.49 per hour
Two working adults: $14.58 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $20.52 per hour (per adult)

41. Connecticut

Connecticut’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $19.00 per hour
One working adult and one child: $37.34 per hour
Two working adults: $14.53 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $20.38 per hour (per adult)

40. Washington

Washington’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $18.54 per hour
One working adult and one child: $34.37 per hour
Two working adults: $13.60 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $18.87 per hour (per adult)

39. Illinois

Illinois’ living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $18.16 per hour
One working adult and one child: $34.71 per hour
Two working adults: $13.66 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $19.09 per hour (per adult)

38. Maine

Maine’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $17.88 per hour
One working adult and one child: $34.80 per hour
Two working adults: $13.57 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $19.15 per hour (per adult)

37. Vermont

Vermont’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $17.81 per hour
One working adult and one child: $35.94 per hour
Two working adults: $14.09 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $19.71 per hour (per adult)

36. Rhode Island

Rhode Island’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $17.80 per hour
One working adult and one child: $34.45 per hour
Two working adults: $13.49 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $18.92 per hour (per adult)

35. Minnesota

Minnesota’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $17.74 per hour
One working adult and one child: $34.86 per hour
Two working adults: $13.85 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $19.20 per hour (per adult)

34. Delaware

Delaware’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $17.74 per hour
One working adult and one child: $35.07 per hour
Two working adults: $13.53 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $19.29 per hour (per adult)

33. Georgia

Georgia’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $17.64 per hour
One working adult and one child: $31.98 per hour
Two working adults: $13.16 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $17.73 per hour (per adult)

32. South Carolina

South Carolina’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $17.47 per hour
One working adult and one child: $31.93 per hour
Two working adults: $13.46 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $17.73 per hour (per adult)

31. Arizona

Arizona’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $17.43 per hour
One working adult and one child: $32.23 per hour
Two working adults: $13.37 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $17.88 per hour (per adult)

30. New Hampshire

New Hampshire’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $17.32 per hour
One working adult and one child: $33.91 per hour
Two working adults: $12.99 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $18.56 per hour (per adult)

29. Florida

Florida’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $17.24 per hour
One working adult and one child: $33.90 per hour
Two working adults: $13.15 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $18.57 per hour (per adult)

28. North Carolina

North Carolina’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $17.14 per hour
One working adult and one child: $33.10 per hour
Two working adults: $12.90 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $18.28 per hour (per adult)

27. Utah

Utah’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $16.98 per hour
One working adult and one child: $32.25 per hour
Two working adults: $13.08 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $17.91 per hour (per adult)

26. Alaska

Alaska’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $16.72 per hour
One working adult and one child: $32.63 per hour
Two working adults: $12.87 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $18.00 per hour (per adult)

25. Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $16.67 per hour
One working adult and one child: $32.41 per hour
Two working adults: $12.78 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $17.86 per hour (per adult)

24. Nebraska

Nebraska’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $16.60 per hour
One working adult and one child: $32.79 per hour
Two working adults: $13.04 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $18.17 per hour (per adult)

23. Texas

Texas’ living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $16.41 per hour
One working adult and one child: $31.63 per hour
Two working adults: $12.56 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $17.44 per hour (per adult)

22. Wisconsin

Wisconsin’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $16.40 per hour
One working adult and one child: $33.25 per hour
Two working adults: $12.67 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $18.36 per hour (per adult)

21. Kansas

Kansas’ living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $16.38 per hour
One working adult and one child: $32.72 per hour
Two working adults: $12.87 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $18.11 per hour (per adult)

20. Michigan

Michigan’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $16.36 per hour
One working adult and one child: $35.32 per hour
Two working adults: $12.63 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $19.38 per hour (per adult)

19. Montana

Montana’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $16.32 per hour
One working adult and one child: $32.87 per hour
Two working adults: $12.82 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $18.26 per hour (per adult)

18. Missouri

Missouri’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $16.29 per hour
One working adult and one child: $31.77 per hour
Two working adults: $12.85 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $17.63 per hour (per adult)

17. New Mexico

New Mexico’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $16.25 per hour
One working adult and one child: $31.53 per hour
Two working adults: $12.84 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $17.55 per hour (per adult)

16. Nevada

Nevada’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $16.24 per hour
One working adult and one child: $33.23 per hour
Two working adults: $12.64 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $18.30 per hour (per adult)

15. Iowa

Iowa’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $16.18 per hour
One working adult and one child: $32.77 per hour
Two working adults: $12.84 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $18.43 per hour (per adult)

14. Idaho

Idaho’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $16.16 per hour
One working adult and one child: $31.45 per hour
Two working adults: $12.76 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $17.54 per hour (per adult)

13. Louisiana

Louisiana’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $16.15 per hour
One working adult and one child: $32.20 per hour
Two working adults: $12.93 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $17.84 per hour (per adult)

12. Alabama

Alabama’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $15.91 per hour
One working adult and one child: $29.81 per hour
Two working adults: $12.40 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $16.63 per hour (per adult)

11. Indiana

Indiana’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $15.79 per hour
One working adult and one child: $29.43 per hour
Two working adults: $12.28 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $16.41 per hour (per adult)

10. Oklahoma

Oklahoma’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $15.75 per hour
One working adult and one child: $30.94 per hour
Two working adults: $12.23 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $17.19 per hour (per adult)

9. Mississippi

Mississippi’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $15.66 per hour
One working adult and one child: $30.06 per hour
Two working adults: $12.33 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $16.75 per hour (per adult)

8. Ohio

Ohio’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $15.61 per hour
One working adult and one child: $31.60 per hour
Two working adults: $12.26 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $17.50 per hour (per adult)

7. Arkansas

Arkansas’ living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $15.55 per hour
One working adult and one child: $30.01 per hour
Two working adults: $12.14 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $16.74 per hour (per adult)

6. Kentucky

Kentucky’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $15.46 per hour
One working adult and one child: $30.32 per hour
Two working adults: $12.07 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $16.88 per hour (per adult)

5. West Virginia

West Virginia’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $15.45 per hour
One working adult and one child: $31.09 per hour
Two working adults: $12.32 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $17.30 per hour (per adult)

4. Tennessee

Tennessee’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $15.45 per hour
One working adult and one child: $28.41 per hour
Two working adults: $11.84 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $15.82 per hour (per adult)

3. North Dakota

North Dakota’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $15.37 per hour
One working adult and one child: $30.84 per hour
Two working adults: $12.00 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $17.09 per hour (per adult)

2. Wyoming

Wyoming’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $15.25 per hour
One working adult and one child: $29.90 per hour
Two working adults: $11.82 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $16.63 per hour (per adult)

1. South Dakota

South Dakota’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $14.85 per hour
One working adult and one child: $29.44 per hour
Two working adults: $11.80 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $16.35 per hour (per adult)

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