The Best Places To Live On a $50,000 Salary in Every State

There are many great cities for average earners across the U.S.

By Jami Farkas Jun 27, 2021 Understanding the Economy

If you earn $50,000 a year in San Francisco or New York City, you undoubtedly will need a roommate — or three — to make ends meet. But in many cities in the United States, $50,000 a year is plenty to live on.

From Alabama to Wyoming: The Cost of Living Across America
Learn More: The Cost To Own a 3-Bedroom Home in Every State

So what sort of enclaves against high costs are out there? GOBankingRates compiled the places in each state that are best suited to someone earning $50,000 a year — with a cost of living that will allow them to save for the future as well as cover costs in the present. The study identified towns with at least 5,000 households and a median income between $45,000 and $50,000 a year using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, then looked at the basic cost of living as sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The city with the most left over from $50,000 after covering expenses in each state was selected. For Alaska, Hawaii, Maryland and North Dakota, income restrictions were relaxed.

Every state in the U.S. has options on where you can live on less than $50,000.

Take a look and see where you could live in your area to stretch your salary that much further.

Last updated: June 21, 2021

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Montgomery, Alabama

Median income: $48,011
Total annual necessities: $20,775
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $29,225

Check Out: How Far a $100K Salary Goes in America’s 50 Largest Cities

Fairbanks, Alaska

Median income: $62,602
Total annual necessities: $30,786
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $19,214

Read: 35 Surprising Cities With Low Costs of Living

Kingman, Arizona

Median income: $49,029
Total annual necessities: $23,723
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $26,277

Find Out: 50 Cities Where It’s Cheaper To Buy a Home Than Rent

Paragould, Arkansas

Median income: $45,841
Total annual necessities: $20,140
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $29,860

Pictured: St. Francis River in Arkansas

Whoa: The Cost To Own a 3-Bedroom Home in Every State

El Centro, California

Median income: $47,864
Total annual necessities: $25,803
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $24,197

Sterling, Colorado

Median income: $45,647
Total annual necessities: $22,545
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $27,455

New London, Connecticut

Median income: $46,298
Total annual necessities: $24,551
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $25,449

Wilmington, Delaware

Median income: $45,032
Total annual necessities: $24,426
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $25,574

Myrtle Grove, Florida

Median income: $47,941
Total annual necessities: $22,900
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $27,100

Columbus, Georgia

Median income: $46,408
Total annual necessities: $20,439
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $29,561

Important: Best Places in Every State To Live On a Fixed Income

Hilo, Hawaii

Median income: $63,283
Total annual necessities: $37,648
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $12,352

Pocatello, Idaho

Median income: $46,617
Total annual necessities: $23,443
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $26,557

Lincoln, Illinois

Median income: $48,931
Total annual necessities: $19,515
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $30,485

Kokomo, Indiana

Median income: $45,797
Total annual necessities: $19,744
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $30,256

Burlington, Iowa

Median income: $47,540
Total annual necessities: $20,314
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $29,686

Pictured: Des Moines, Iowa

Great Bend, Kansas

Median income: $47,574
Total annual necessities: $20,053
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $29,947

Pictured: Wichita, Kansas

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Radcliff, Kentucky

Median income: $46,105
Total annual necessities: $21,461
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $28,539

Pineville, Louisiana

Median income: $45,088
Total annual necessities: $22,899
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $27,101

Pictured: Louisville, Kentucky

Bangor, Maine

Median income: $46,625
Total annual necessities: $23,445
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $26,555

Baltimore

Median income: $50,379
Total annual necessities: $23,787
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $26,213

Gardner, Massachusetts

Median income: $49,679
Total annual necessities: $25,506
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $24,494

Pictured: Pittsfield, Massachusetts

Owosso, Michigan

Median income: $45,203
Total annual necessities: $20,829
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $29,171

Pictured: Taylor, Michigan

Albert Lea, Minnesota

Median income: $47,508
Total annual necessities: $19,432
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $30,568

Pictured: Austin, Minnesota

Horn Lake, Mississippi

Median income: $48,622
Total annual necessities: $21,827
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $28,173

Pictured: Tupelo, Mississippi

St. Ann, Missouri

Median income: $47,727
Total annual necessities: $20,234
Salary left over after annual necessities: $29,766

Pictured: St. Louis, Missouri

Butte-Silver Bow, Montana

Median income: $45,797
Total annual necessities: $22,043
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $27,957

Pictured: Great Falls, Montana

Hastings, Nebraska

Median income: $48,644
Total annual necessities: $22,502
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $27,498

Pahrump, Nevada

Median income: $47,535
Total annual necessities: $25,182
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $24,818

Claremont, New Hampshire

Median income: $47,649
Total annual necessities: $22,579
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $27,421

Lindenwold, New Jersey

Median income: $45,789
Total annual necessities: $22,719
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $27,281

Pictured: Millville, New Jersey

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Gallup, New Mexico

Median income: $48,065
Total annual necessities: $20,779
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $29,221

Batavia, New York

Median income: $47,712
Total annual necessities: $21,256
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $28,744

Pictured: Rochester, New York

Fayetteville, North Carolina

Median income: $45,024
Total annual necessities: $21,940
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $28,060

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Jamestown, North Dakota

Median income: $51,789
Total annual necessities: $22,322
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $27,678

Defiance, Ohio

Median income: $49,628
Total annual necessities: $19,733
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $30,267

Pictured: Cleveland, Ohio

Altus, Oklahoma

Median income: $47,691
Total annual necessities: $18,762
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $31,238

Pictured: Lawton, Oklahoma

Coos Bay, Oregon

Median income: $48,919
Total annual necessities: $23,026
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $26,974

Munhall, Pennsylvania

Median income: $47,649
Total annual necessities: $21,296
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $28,704

Pictured: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Providence, Rhode Island

Median income: $45,610
Total annual necessities: $27,843
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $22,157

Florence, South Carolina

Median income: $49,525
Total annual necessities: $22,949
Salary left over after annual necessities: $27,051

Pictured: Downtown Columbia, South Carolina

Huron, South Dakota

Median income: $46,106
Total annual necessities: $19,997
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $30,003

East Ridge, Tennessee

Median income: $47,203
Total annual necessities: $22,364
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $27,636

Pictured: Chattanooga, Tennessee

Plainview, Texas

Median income: $48,430
Total annual necessities: $19,226
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $30,774

Pictured: Lubbock, Texas

Cedar City, Utah

Median income: $48,346
Total annual necessities: $25,777
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $24,223

Pictured: Ogden, Utah

Rutland, Vermont

Median income: $48,212
Total annual necessities: $23,359
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $26,641

Pictured: Burlington, Vermont

Highland Springs, Virginia

Median income: $48,886
Total annual necessities: $23,001
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $26,999

Pictured: Richmond, Virginia

Port Angeles, Washington

Median income: $47,256
Total annual necessities: $25,981
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $24,019

Weirton, West Virginia

Median income: $49,496
Total annual necessities: $20,145
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $29,855

Two Rivers, Wisconsin

Median income: $47,228
Total annual necessities: $19,661
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $30,339

Pictured: Green Bay, Wisconsin

Laramie, Wyoming

Median income: $46,117
Total annual necessities: $27,966
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $22,034

More From GOBankingRates

Joel Anderson contributed to the reporting for this article.

Photo disclaimer: Photos are for illustrative purposes only. As a result, some of the images may not reflect the exact towns listed.

Methodology: GOBankingRates determined the best places to live on a $50,000 salary in each state by analyzing cities along these criteria: (1) a minimum of 5,000 households, sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2019 American Community Survey, (2) a median household income between $45,000 to $50,000, sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2019 American Community Survey, (3) itemized cost of living index for groceries, housing, utilities, transportation, healthcare and miscellaneous expenditure, based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 2019 Consumer Expenditure Survey (latest full year dataset) by income level ($40,000 – $49,999), which were adjusted to each city’s local cost of living, sourced from Sperling’s Best Places. In order to qualify as a “best” city, the total cost of living expenditures could not exceed $50,000, and the city with the lowest overall total cost of living expenditures was declared the best. For Alaska, Hawaii, Maryland and North Dakota, income restrictions were relaxed. All data was compiled on and up to date as of April 6, 2021.

About the Author

Jami Farkas

Jami Farkas holds a communications degree from California State University, Fullerton, and has worked as a reporter or editor at daily newspapers in all four corners of the United States. She brings to GOBankingRates experience as a sports editor, business editor, religion editor, digital editor — and more. With a passion for real estate, she passed the real estate licensing exam in her state and is still weighing whether to take the plunge into selling homes — or just writing about selling homes.