Income needed for household economic security in every U.S. state

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The income required for household economic security in the United States is a multifaceted concept that depends on a range of factors, including geographical location, family size, and individual lifestyle preferences. Essentially, economic security signifies having sufficient financial resources to cover fundamental necessities such as housing, food, healthcare, education, transportation, and the capacity to save for unforeseen emergencies and retirement, all without enduring perpetual financial strain.

Maps below created by howmuch.net using iwpr.org data show the minimum income required for economic security in each state.

The United States exhibits substantial disparities in the cost of living across regions. Major urban centers like New York City and San Francisco typically entail significantly higher expenses compared to rural areas in the Midwest. Housing costs, in particular, can exert substantial pressure on household budgets and, consequently, influence the income needed for economic security. Family size is another pivotal determinant, with larger families generally requiring higher incomes to satisfy basic requirements. Childcare, education, and healthcare expenses can notably increase the financial obligations of larger households.

Amount of annual income working adults with employment benefits need for basic economic security in the U.S.

• a single working adult: $33,012 per year ($2,751 per month,)
• a single parent with 1 infant: $50,916 per year ($4,243 per month,)
• two working adults with 1 infant, 1 preschooler: $79,224 per year ($6,602 per couple per month,)

State	% with Economic Security	Single working adult with Benefits	Single working parent with one infant with Benefits	Two working parents with one infant and one preschooler with benefits
NEW HAMPSHIRE	78	32.892	52.2	80.832
OHIO	76	26.052	40.848	66.624
IOWA	75	26.436	41.424	68.424
SOUTH DAKOTA	75	24.648	37.14	61.416
CONNECTICUT	74	36.936	60.168	92.136
NORTH DAKOTA	74	27.144	41.232	66.864
PENNSYLVANIA	74	30.408	47.856	76.608
WYOMING	74	26.676	40.752	67.68
ALASKA	73	34.536	55.728	85.344
NEBRASKA	73	26.472	42.672	68.928
WISCONSIN	73	28.368	48.588	78.672
KANSAS	72	26.352	41.292	69.84
MINNESOTA	72	30.588	50.028	84.696
MISSOURI	72	27.204	39.54	66.216
RHODE ISLAND	72	32.868	53.748	84.552
INDIANA	71	27.204	41.52	70.968
MICHIGAN	71	28.752	44.28	70.896
TENNESSEE	71	26.892	40.5	65.88
ILLINOIS	70	32.688	51.276	82.032
KENTUCKY	70	27.396	41.052	66.288
MAINE	70	31.284	48.372	74.616
MASSACHUSETTS	70	41.34	66.312	105.984
NEW JERSEY	70	40.296	61.356	92.448
WEST VIRGINIA	70	27.024	39.948	65.184
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA	69	50.508	81.588	124.32
MARYLAND	69	43.272	66.264	94.248
NEVADA	69	27.36	46.08	72.648
ARKANSAS	68	26.112	37.128	60.816
VERMONT	68	33.528	52.392	81.72
WASHINGTON	68	35.316	56.04	86.112
ALABAMA	67	29.58	41.088	64.224
COLORADO	67	34.152	56.124	88.512
LOUISIANA	67	29.472	41.544	65.544
NORTH CAROLINA	67	29.976	46.164	73.704
OKLAHOMA	67	27.48	43.368	68.496
TEXAS	67	29.172	44.652	69.504
VIRGINIA	67	39.384	58.92	89.448
UNITED STATES	67	33.012	50.916	79.224
IDAHO	66	26.22	40.26	65.04
MONTANA	66	27.648	43.488	70.224
SOUTH CAROLINA	66	29.784	42.624	67.776
UTAH	66	28.104	47.496	74.568
ARIZONA	65	30.12	47.196	75.912
DELAWARE	65	35.124	54.228	85.032
MISSISSIPPI	65	27.948	37.932	61.176
NEW MEXICO	65	27.228	43.644	70.224
GEORGIA	64	32.544	47.148	72.816
FLORIDA	62	31.668	50.112	74.568
HAWAII	61	45.456	66.588	96.216
OREGON	61	34.2	53.4	85.608
NEW YORK	59	44.088	66.972	101.496
CALIFORNIA	58	42.06	64.62	94.992

Key facts

• Only 67% of working adults (aged 19–64)in the U.S. are economically secure, meaning their family household income is enough to meet monthly basic expenses and reach modest asset development goals.
• Working men are more likely to be economically secure than working women (68.2% of
  men are economically secure, compared with 65.5% of women).
• White men are the most likely to live with economic security in the U.S., and Hispanic men and women are least likely to live with economic security.
• Just under one in four households headed by single mothers in the U.S. are economically secure and live with family incomes above the BEST Index for their family type. Families headed by single mothers are the least likely to be economically secure, while married couples without children are the most likely to be economically secure.