These are salaries that single people in every state need to survive
Here’s another reason to keep scrolling through the dating apps.
As more adults remarry later or choose to stay single, a recent report calculated the average salary in each state that a single person needs to live comfortably.
No wonder: New York made it into the top five.
On average, single workers in the US need an annual income of $57,200 to make a living in America, according to the analysis GOBankingRates.
That amount is a few thousand less than the average salary for all American workers, regardless of marital status — $59,428. according to Forbes.
GoBankingRates used data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics To put a figure on the minimum amount a single person would need for a 50/30/20 budget — that is, 50% for essentials, 30% for discretionary spending, and 20% for savings or investments.
Hawaii is the most expensive state for singles, requiring them to earn an annual salary of $112,411 to live comfortably.
Unfortunately, according to Forbes, the average annual salary in the state of Aloha, which has one of the highest costs of living, is significantly lower at $61,420.
Perhaps surprisingly, it’s also the only state where a single person has to earn a six-figure sum to make ends meet.
Massachusetts, California, New York and Alaska cover the top five salary requirements for those who are not married or live in a permanent home.
Ideally, singles in Massachusetts should make $87,909 a year, but the average worker makes about $11,000 less, reporting a median wage of $76,600.
Mobile workers in the Golden State, meanwhile, should want to make $80,013 a year, but likely won’t make that much given the state median salary is reported as $73,220.
New York has proven once again that it encourages independence by requiring singles to earn $73,226, which is just below the average salary of $74,870 calculated by Forbes.
Up in Alaska, single life also seems more inviting. Single people should be able to live comfortably and aim for an annual salary of $71,570, which seems achievable given the national median of $66,130.
Massachusetts, California, and New York all command high living wages, largely because Boston, Los Angeles, and New York City — some of the largest cities in the country — have some of the highest housing costs in the US that singles have to pay on their own approach.
Other studies have also claimed that New York City is the most expensive place to live as a single person.
Unsurprisingly, Mississippi — the poorest state in the country — is at the bottom of the list, requiring singles to earn only about $45,906 a year, which seems achievable given the median salary of $45,180.
The five most expensive states to be single:
- Hawaii: $112,411
- Massachusetts: $87,909
- California: $80,013
- New York: $73,226
- Alaska: $71,570
