$46K Minimum Salary US Singles Need to Get By

The bare minimum that singles need to earn to survive in the U.S. ranges from a low of $45,906 in Mississippi to six figures in Hawaii, according to GoBankingRates.

On average, single American workers need to earn $57,200 to make ends meet, just under the average salary of $59,428 in the United States.

The 5 Most Expensive States to Be Single

State                         Baseline Living Wage

1. Hawaii                     $112,411
2. Massachusetts        $87,909
3. California                $80,013
4. New York                $73,226
5. Alaska                     $71,570

Hawaii is the only state where a single working individual would need six figures: $112,411.

GoBanking based its analysis on Bureau of Labor Statistics data and a 50/30/20 budgeting analysis setting aside 50% of a person’s earnings for necessities, 30% for discretionary spending and 20% for savings/investments.

Since housing and necessities comprise 50% of a person’s overhead, GoBanking said, it stands to reason why New York and California are so expensive.

The 5 Least Expensive States to Be Single

State                         Baseline Living Wage

1. Mississippi             $45,906
2. Oklahoma               $46,024
3. Alabama                 $46,577
4. Arkansas                 $47,111
5. Kentucky                $47,318
    

Living Wages in All 50 States