How much it costs to live "comfortably" in each state

[packman]

These numbers account for a family of two adults and one child and don't include conveniences such as restaurant meals, vacations and money left over for investments.


More and living costs in some cities at:

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/08/wage-needed-to-live-comfortably-in-the-largest-us-cities.html?recirc=taboolainternal

[Le Gaucher]

1. These numbers are too low

56 k in NJ (Family of 3) is poverty. Rent alone will take up 20 k in most places. Plus if you have to pay for transportation, extra school expenses - you will be running on fumes.

[OneGrassRoot]

2. Doesn't seem accurate at all...

Not only do the figures seem too low, but they range is too limited. The cost of living difference between Alabama and California surely should be more than $11k.

[smirkymonkey]

4. Also, the range will vary greatly depending upon whether you live in a large city, the suburbs or

in a rural area. There is no way you are going to get by on those salaries if you are living in New York, San Francisco or Boston.

[OneGrassRoot]

5. True n/t

[mreilly]

3. Doesn't factor in having kids...

... I live in MA and I have 3 kids and we'd never make it on $60K. My wife and I combined make over 2x that and are just barely getting by with our bills being paid on time, but we still have debt.

I think this refers to being single. If I was single and taking home say $40K after taxes I suppose I'd be comfortable but I sure wouldn't be saving much nor living in a palace.

[AJT]

6. The data should be urban and suburban only. That's where

most people live and work. Including rural areas brings the cost of living down.

[unblock]

7. in practice it's silly to put much emphasis on state lines for something like this.

there's huuuuge variance between urban and rural areas within states, for example.

contrast san francisco with some poor, rural area in california.

[packman]

8. I imagine those figures are averages

[TheOther95Percent]

9. 59K in New York?

Hubs and I would be living in a 300 square foot studio apartment and eating ramen noodles on 59K in NYC. No way, no how. I have staffers making twice that with kids who are just getting by. This area is EXPENSIVE. Housing costs easily eat up to 40% of take home pay.

[Yavin4]

10. On that salary in NYC, you better have roommates

That's how I survived until I could afford to live alone.