The Salary Needed To Live Comfortably in America’s 50 State Capitals

Ever daydream about moving to your state’s capital? Capital cities can often be an incredible mix of culture, politics and extremely diverse job markets, making them rather attractive places to live. Before you make the move to your state’s capital, though, it helps to get the lay of the economic land and know just how much such a move would cost.

Recently, GOBankingRates researched all 50 state capitals to determine the salary needed to live comfortably in each. GOBankingRates then ranked each city by how closely those median incomes matched the salaries required to live in each city. See where your capital ranks.

Also see the salary single people need in 100 major cities.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the 10 most affordable state capitals are all within the Midwest or South. Jackson, Mississippi, was by far the most affordable, with a median income of $43,238 coming rather close to the annual salary needed to live comfortably ($55,201).

Meanwhile, it should come as no surprise that one of the most expensive states in the union — Hawaii — has the most expensive state capital. In Honolulu, the annual salary needed to live comfortably is a staggering $249,065, but the median income level is a third of that ($85,428).

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $55,201
• Median income: $43,238
• Livability: 67

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $66,571
• Median income: $52,170
• Livability: 79

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $66,112
• Median income: $55,687
• Livability: 64

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $68,653
• Median income: $65,537
• Livability: 81

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $72,433
• Median income: $64,512
• Livability: 82

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $72,789
• Median income: $55,902
• Livability: 69

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $73,307
• Median income: $63,966
• Livability: 83

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $74,386
• Median income: $60,583
• Livability: 72

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $76,447
• Median income: $66,702
• Livability: 81

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $76,476
• Median income: $54,438
• Livability: 72

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $78,090
• Median income: $62,995
• Livability: 76

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $81,033
• Median income: $55,653
• Livability: 79

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $82,018
• Median income: $48,756
• Livability: 78

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $82,304
• Median income: $67,205
• Livability: 82

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $82,708
• Median income: $49,944
• Livability: 68

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $82,966
• Median income: $65,327
• Livability: 81

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $83,673
• Median income: $74,053
• Livability: 74

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $83,736
• Median income: $47,783
• Livability: 85

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $88,543
• Median income: $73,055
• Livability: 80

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $89,132
• Median income: $69,991
• Livability: 84

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $90,261
• Median income: $55,931
• Livability: 85

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $90,985
• Median income: $45,300
• Livability: 75

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $94,199
• Median income: $59,485
• Livability: 77

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $95,141
• Median income: $58,336
• Livability: 68

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $95,661
• Median income: $77,608
• Livability: 78

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $97,568
• Median income: $62,671
• Livability: 84

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $99,073
• Median income: $47,102
• Livability: 76

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $102,102
• Median income: $77,176
• Livability: 83

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $106,862
• Median income: $71,900
• Livability: 79

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $107,403
• Median income: $76,983
• Livability: 82

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $108,283
• Median income: $66,772
• Livability: 82

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $108,938
• Median income: $69,341
• Livability: 81

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $109,462
• Median income: $83,701
• Livability: 88

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $109,601
• Median income: $82,424
• Livability: 84

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $110,143
• Median income: $77,041
• Livability: 76

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $111,206
• Median income: $79,175
• Livability: 83

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $111,712
• Median income: $75,197
• Livability: 78

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $114,050
• Median income: $81,938
• Livability: 78

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $114,202
• Median income: $81,308
• Livability: 84

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $115,098
• Median income: $71,809
• Livability: 69

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $120,564
• Median income: $76,930
• Livability: 84

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $122,211
• Median income: $83,753
• Livability: 73

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $124,299
• Median income: $100,513
• Livability: 82

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $126,016
• Median income: $91,461
• Livability: 83

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $127,514
• Median income: $70,110
• Livability: 74

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $130,297
• Median income: $74,925
• Livability: 75

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $133,197
• Median income: $91,681
• Livability: 72

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $136,897
• Median income: $104,257
• Livability: 79

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $168,752
• Median income: $94,755
• Livability: 77

• Annual salary need to live comfortably: $249,065
• Median income: $85,428
• Livability: 78

Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed each state capital to find the cost of living comfortably in each city. Data was culled from the U.S. Census American Community Survey, Sperling’s BestPlaces, the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey, AreaVibes and the Zillow Home Value Index for January 2025. All data was collected on and is up to date as of March 10, 2025.