Introduction
A livable wage is the amount of income required to cover living expenses and basic needs without relying on loans or other forms of external financial assistance. It is different from the minimum wage, as that determines how much a person needs to earn to stay out of poverty and is the legal minimum an employer is required to pay to their workers.
While the minimum wage is determined by state or federal laws, the living wage is determined by the costs of living in an area, i.e. costs such as the price of food, shelter, water, transport, insurance, childcare, and security. Luxuries such as vacations, extra expenses, and savings are not included. Therefore, if a state has a particularly high living wage, it is a state that is expensive to live in.
If you would like to learn more about the differences in living wages across the U.S, please refer to the data in the charts
| # | State | Livable Wage | Minimum Wage | Median Household Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $23.13 | $10.5 | $90,640 |
| 2 | Hawaii | $21.99 | $10.1 | $82,199 |
| 3 | New York | $21.99 | $13.2 | $72,920 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $21.88 | $14.25 | $86,566 |
| 5 | California | $21.82 | $14 | $81,575 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $20.57 | $13 | $88,559 |
| 7 | Maryland | $19.74 | $12.5 | $97,332 |
| 8 | Oregon | $19.51 | $13.5 | $81,855 |
| 9 | Virginia | $19.4 | $11 | $80,268 |
| 10 | Colorado | $19.16 | $12.56 | $84,954 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $19 | $14 | $80,958 |
| 12 | Washington | $18.54 | $14.49 | $87,648 |
| 13 | Illinois | $18.16 | $12 | $79,253 |
| 14 | Maine | $17.88 | $12.75 | $71,139 |
| 15 | Vermont | $17.81 | $12.55 | $76,079 |
| 16 | Rhode Island | $17.8 | $12.25 | $74,982 |
| 17 | Delaware | $17.74 | $15.2 | $68,687 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $17.74 | $10.33 | $80,441 |
| 19 | Georgia | $17.64 | $7.25 | $61,497 |
| 20 | South Carolina | $17.47 | $7.25 | $62,542 |
| 21 | Arizona | $17.43 | $12.8 | $70,821 |
| 22 | New Hampshire | $17.32 | $7.25 | $88,841 |
| 23 | Florida | $17.24 | $10 | $59,734 |
| 24 | North Carolina | $17.14 | $7.25 | $62,891 |
| 25 | Utah | $16.98 | $7.25 | $87,649 |
| 26 | Alaska | $16.72 | $10.34 | $81,133 |
| 27 | Pennsylvania | $16.67 | $7.25 | $72,627 |
| 28 | Nebraska | $16.6 | $9 | $78,109 |
| 29 | Texas | $16.41 | $7.25 | $67,404 |
| 30 | Wisconsin | $16.4 | $7.25 | $69,943 |
| 31 | Kansas | $16.38 | $7.25 | $75,979 |
| 32 | Michigan | $16.36 | $9.87 | $64,488 |
| 33 | Montana | $16.32 | $9.2 | $64,999 |
| 34 | Missouri | $16.29 | $11.15 | $63,594 |
| 35 | New Mexico | $16.25 | $11.5 | $53,463 |
| 36 | Nevada | $16.24 | $10.5 | $64,340 |
| 37 | Iowa | $16.18 | $7.25 | $72,429 |
| 38 | Idaho | $16.16 | $7.25 | $76,918 |
| 39 | Louisiana | $16.15 | $7.25 | $57,206 |
| 40 | Alabama | $15.91 | $7.25 | $56,929 |
| 41 | Indiana | $15.79 | $7.25 | $70,190 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $15.75 | $7.25 | $60,096 |
| 43 | Mississippi | $15.66 | $7.25 | $46,637 |
| 44 | Ohio | $15.61 | $9.3 | $62,689 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $15.55 | $11 | $50,784 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $15.46 | $7.25 | $55,629 |
| 47 | Tennessee | $15.45 | $7.25 | $62,166 |
| 48 | West Virginia | $15.45 | $8.75 | $46,836 |
| 49 | North Dakota | $15.37 | $7.25 | $68,882 |
| 50 | Wyoming | $15.25 | $7.25 | $71,052 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $14.85 | $9.95 | $73,893 |
Livable Wage by State
Alabama
Livable Wage
$15.91
Ranked in the US
#40
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#32
$56,929
Ranked in the US
#46
Alaska
Livable Wage
$16.72
Ranked in the US
#26
$10.34
Ranked in the US
#22
$81,133
Ranked in the US
#12
Arizona
Livable Wage
$17.43
Ranked in the US
#21
$12.8
Ranked in the US
#9
$70,821
Ranked in the US
#28
Arkansas
Livable Wage
$15.55
Ranked in the US
#45
$11
Ranked in the US
#18
$50,784
Ranked in the US
#49
California
Livable Wage
$21.82
Ranked in the US
#5
$14
Ranked in the US
#4
$81,575
Ranked in the US
#11
Colorado
Livable Wage
$19.16
Ranked in the US
#10
$12.56
Ranked in the US
#11
$84,954
Ranked in the US
#8
Connecticut
Livable Wage
$19
Ranked in the US
#11
$14
Ranked in the US
#5
$80,958
Ranked in the US
#13
Delaware
Livable Wage
$17.74
Ranked in the US
#17
$15.2
Ranked in the US
#1
$68,687
Ranked in the US
#32
District of Columbia
Livable Wage
$23.13
Ranked in the US
#1
$10.5
Ranked in the US
#20
$90,640
Ranked in the US
#2
Florida
Livable Wage
$17.24
Ranked in the US
#23
$10
Ranked in the US
#25
$59,734
Ranked in the US
#44
Georgia
Livable Wage
$17.64
Ranked in the US
#19
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#33
$61,497
Ranked in the US
#42
Hawaii
Livable Wage
$21.99
Ranked in the US
#2
$10.1
Ranked in the US
#24
$82,199
Ranked in the US
#9
Idaho
Livable Wage
$16.16
Ranked in the US
#38
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#34
$76,918
Ranked in the US
#18
Illinois
Livable Wage
$18.16
Ranked in the US
#13
$12
Ranked in the US
#15
$79,253
Ranked in the US
#16
Indiana
Livable Wage
$15.79
Ranked in the US
#41
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#35
$70,190
Ranked in the US
#29
Iowa
Livable Wage
$16.18
Ranked in the US
#37
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#36
$72,429
Ranked in the US
#25
Kansas
Livable Wage
$16.38
Ranked in the US
#31
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#37
$75,979
Ranked in the US
#20
Kentucky
Livable Wage
$15.46
Ranked in the US
#46
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#38
$55,629
Ranked in the US
#47
Louisiana
Livable Wage
$16.15
Ranked in the US
#39
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#39
$57,206
Ranked in the US
#45
Maine
Livable Wage
$17.88
Ranked in the US
#14
$12.75
Ranked in the US
#10
$71,139
Ranked in the US
#26
Maryland
Livable Wage
$19.74
Ranked in the US
#7
$12.5
Ranked in the US
#13
$97,332
Ranked in the US
#1
Massachusetts
Livable Wage
$21.88
Ranked in the US
#4
$14.25
Ranked in the US
#3
$86,566
Ranked in the US
#7
Michigan
Livable Wage
$16.36
Ranked in the US
#32
$9.87
Ranked in the US
#27
$64,488
Ranked in the US
#35
Minnesota
Livable Wage
$17.74
Ranked in the US
#18
$10.33
Ranked in the US
#23
$80,441
Ranked in the US
#14
Mississippi
Livable Wage
$15.66
Ranked in the US
#43
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#40
$46,637
Ranked in the US
#51
Missouri
Livable Wage
$16.29
Ranked in the US
#34
$11.15
Ranked in the US
#17
$63,594
Ranked in the US
#37
Montana
Livable Wage
$16.32
Ranked in the US
#33
$9.2
Ranked in the US
#29
$64,999
Ranked in the US
#34
Nebraska
Livable Wage
$16.6
Ranked in the US
#28
Ranked in the US
#30
$78,109
Ranked in the US
#17
Nevada
Livable Wage
$16.24
Ranked in the US
#36
$10.5
Ranked in the US
#21
$64,340
Ranked in the US
#36
New Hampshire
Livable Wage
$17.32
Ranked in the US
#22
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#41
$88,841
Ranked in the US
#3
New Jersey
Livable Wage
$20.57
Ranked in the US
#6
$13
Ranked in the US
#8
$88,559
Ranked in the US
#4
New Mexico
Livable Wage
$16.25
Ranked in the US
#35
$11.5
Ranked in the US
#16
$53,463
Ranked in the US
#48
New York
Livable Wage
$21.99
Ranked in the US
#3
$13.2
Ranked in the US
#7
$72,920
Ranked in the US
#23
North Carolina
Livable Wage
$17.14
Ranked in the US
#24
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#42
$62,891
Ranked in the US
#38
North Dakota
Livable Wage
$15.37
Ranked in the US
#49
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#43
$68,882
Ranked in the US
#31
Ohio
Livable Wage
$15.61
Ranked in the US
#44
$9.3
Ranked in the US
#28
$62,689
Ranked in the US
#39
Oklahoma
Livable Wage
$15.75
Ranked in the US
#42
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#44
$60,096
Ranked in the US
#43
Oregon
Livable Wage
$19.51
Ranked in the US
#8
$13.5
Ranked in the US
#6
$81,855
Ranked in the US
#10
Pennsylvania
Livable Wage
$16.67
Ranked in the US
#27
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#45
$72,627
Ranked in the US
#24
Rhode Island
Livable Wage
$17.8
Ranked in the US
#16
$12.25
Ranked in the US
#14
$74,982
Ranked in the US
#21
South Carolina
Livable Wage
$17.47
Ranked in the US
#20
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#46
$62,542
Ranked in the US
#40
South Dakota
Livable Wage
$14.85
Ranked in the US
#51
$9.95
Ranked in the US
#26
$73,893
Ranked in the US
#22
Tennessee
Livable Wage
$15.45
Ranked in the US
#47
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#47
$62,166
Ranked in the US
#41
Texas
Livable Wage
$16.41
Ranked in the US
#29
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#48
$67,404
Ranked in the US
#33
Utah
Livable Wage
$16.98
Ranked in the US
#25
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#49
$87,649
Ranked in the US
#5
Vermont
Livable Wage
$17.81
Ranked in the US
#15
$12.55
Ranked in the US
#12
$76,079
Ranked in the US
#19
Virginia
Livable Wage
$19.4
Ranked in the US
#9
$11
Ranked in the US
#19
$80,268
Ranked in the US
#15
Washington
Livable Wage
$18.54
Ranked in the US
#12
$14.49
Ranked in the US
#2
$87,648
Ranked in the US
#6
West Virginia
Livable Wage
$15.45
Ranked in the US
#48
$8.75
Ranked in the US
#31
$46,836
Ranked in the US
#50
Wisconsin
Livable Wage
$16.4
Ranked in the US
#30
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#50
$69,943
Ranked in the US
#30
Wyoming
Livable Wage
$15.25
Ranked in the US
#50
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#51
$71,052
Ranked in the US
#27