Here’s the Emergency Fund You Need To Survive a Recession in Your State

With the ups and downs, and stops and starts, of President Donald Trump’s controversial tariff policies, some economists have warned that an economic downturn is inevitable. Less clear, however, is whether or not such a downturn will lead to an actual recession — a downward economic spiral that lasts months and features large declines in employment and production. Should a recession hit, significant numbers of the American workforce could face job layoffs and terminations.

Whether or not an actual recession will be triggered in 2025, having an emergency fund is always a safe bet. That said, it pays to know how much you need to have in an emergency fund in your state. That’s why GOBankingRates recently devised a study to calculate just how much an emergency fund would carry citizens in each of the 50 states for three months, six months and 12 months total.

Worried that you don’t have enough set aside to survive in your state without a job? Hit the list to see how much you need in your emergency fund to survive a recession.

• Annual cost of living: $39,278
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $9,820
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $19,639
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $39,278

• Annual cost of living: $60,450
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $15,113
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $30,225
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $60,450

• Annual cost of living: $56,087
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $14,022
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $28,043
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $56,087

• Annual cost of living: $37,609
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $9,402
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $18,805
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $37,609

• Annual cost of living: $87,962
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $21,990
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $43,981
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $87,962

• Annual cost of living: $64,558
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $16,139
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $32,279
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $64,558

• Annual cost of living: $59,423
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $14,856
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $29,712
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $59,423

• Annual cost of living: $53,343
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $13,336
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $26,671
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $53,343  

• Annual cost of living: $53,687
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $13,422
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $26,843
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $53,687

• Annual cost of living: $47,888
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $11,972
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $23,944
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $47,888

• Annual cost of living: $104,577
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $26,144
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $52,289
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $104,577

• Annual cost of living: $57,919
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $14,480
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $28,960
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $57,919

• Annual cost of living: $44,778
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $11,195
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $22,389
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $44,778

• Annual cost of living: $41,373
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $10,343
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $20,687
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $41,373

• Annual cost of living: $39,889
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $9,972
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $19,945
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $39,889

• Annual cost of living: $39,916
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $9,979
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $19,958
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $39,916

• Annual cost of living: $39,938
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $9,985
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $19,969
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $39,938

• Annual cost of living: $37,550
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $9,388
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $18,775
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $37,550

• Annual cost of living: $55,360
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $13,840
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $27,680
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $55,360

• Annual cost of living: $57,444
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $14,361
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $28,722
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $57,444

• Annual cost of living: $77,544
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $19,386
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $38,772
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $77,544

• Annual cost of living: $41,579
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $10,395
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $20,789
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $41,579

• Annual cost of living: $49,462
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $12,365
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $24,731
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $49,462

• Annual cost of living: $36,351
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $9,088
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $18,176
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $36,351

• Annual cost of living: $41,219
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $10,305
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $20,610
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $41,219

• Annual cost of living: $57,517
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $14,379
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $28,759
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $57,517

• Annual cost of living: $42,993
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $10,748
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $21,496
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $42,993  

• Annual cost of living: $58,665
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $14,666
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $29,333
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $58,665

• Annual cost of living: $62,536
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $15,634
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $31,268
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $62,536

• Annual cost of living: $66,926
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $16,732
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $33,463
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $66,926

• Annual cost of living: $45,368
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $11,342
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $22,684
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $45,368

• Annual cost of living: $59,403
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $14,851
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $29,701
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $59,403

• Annual cost of living: $48,054
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $12,014
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $24,027
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $48,054

• Annual cost of living: $43,844
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $10,961
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $21,922
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $43,844

• Annual cost of living: $40,788
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $10,197
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $20,394
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $40,788  

• Annual cost of living: $38,398
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $9,599
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $19,199
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $38,398

• Annual cost of living: $62,701
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $15,675
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $31,351
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $62,701

• Annual cost of living: $44,255
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $11,064
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $22,128
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $44,255

• Annual cost of living: $61,901
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $15,475
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $30,950
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $61,901

• Annual cost of living: $45,362
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $11,341
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $22,681
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $45,362

• Annual cost of living: $45,859
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $11,465
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $22,929
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $45,859

• Annual cost of living: $45,776
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $11,444
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $22,888
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $45,776

• Annual cost of living: $45,505
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $11,376
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $22,752
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $45,505

• Annual cost of living: $62,806
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $15,701
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $31,403
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $62,806

• Annual cost of living: $54,486
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $13,622
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $27,243
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $54,486

• Annual cost of living: $53,677
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $13,419
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $26,839
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $53,677 

• Annual cost of living: $71,722
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $17,930
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $35,861
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $71,722

• Annual cost of living: $35,406
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $8,852
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $17,703
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $35406

• Annual cost of living: $47,618
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $11,905
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $23,809
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $47,618

• Annual cost of living: $49,340
• Emergency fund for 3 months: $12,335
• Emergency fund for 6 months: $24,670
• Emergency fund for 12 months: $49,340

Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed each state to find the amount needed for an emergency fund. The cost of living was determined using data from Missouri Economic and Research Information Center, the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey, Zillow Home Value Index and the Federal Reserve. All data was collected on and is up to date as of April 21, 2025.