This Is the Salary Needed To Be Happy in Every State
How much do you have to earn for emotional well-being?
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There’s been a long-standing debate on whether money can truly buy happiness. But if it can, how much would it take? It turns out that there is an approximate amount, according to Purdue researchers who conducted a study in 2018 to get a better understanding of how happiness relates to money. The study was done on a global scale, so the number varied worldwide. The researchers also wanted to learn if happiness rises as income level increases and identify the sum where money would no longer affect one’s level of emotional well-being and stability.
Financial stress is a considerable problem among Americans, even for those earning over $100,000 annually. Millennials, in particular, think satisfaction and happiness are directly linked to stability and financial responsibility, according to a Wells Fargo study.
To find out the salary needed to be happy in every state, GOBankingRates analyzed data from the 2018 Purdue University study. The Purdue research team found that individuals would need an income of $60,000-$75,000 for emotional well-being and an income of $95,000 for life evaluation across every continent. The ideal income for life satisfaction in North America is $105,000, which was used as a benchmark for the “salary you need to be happy” category in this particular study. The study is ranked by state from lowest to highest salary needed to be happy.
Each of the salaries is adjusted by cost of living, so the current ranking may not come as a shock. Residents of Southern and Midwestern states may have a better shot at happiness, as they are spending less on annual expenditures than other parts of the country. Meanwhile, many Northeastern states are stacked toward the bottom of the ranking, suggesting it’s particularly difficult to find stability in that region — both emotionally and financially. Check out how much money you need to earn to be happy in your state.
Last updated: March 3, 2020
Mississippi
- Salary you need to be happy: $89,040
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $80,560
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $50,880-$63,600
Oklahoma
- Salary you need to be happy: $90,825
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $82,175
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $51,900-$64,875
Arkansas
- Salary you need to be happy: $91,455
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $82,745
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $52,260-$65,325
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New Mexico
- Salary you need to be happy: $92,610
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $83,790
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $52,920-$66,150
Kansas
- Salary you need to be happy: $92,925
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $84,075
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $53,100-$66,375
Missouri
- Salary you need to be happy: $92,925
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $84,075
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $53,100-$66,375
Tennessee
- Salary you need to be happy: $93,030
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $84,170
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $53,160-$66,450
Alabama
- Salary you need to be happy: $93,660
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $84,740
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $53,520-$66,900
Georgia
- Salary you need to be happy: $93,660
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $84,740
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $53,520-$66,900
Michigan
- Salary you need to be happy: $94,290
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $85,310
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $53,880-$67,350
Indiana
- Salary you need to be happy: $95,445
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $86,355
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $54,540-$68,175
West Virginia
- Salary you need to be happy: $95,445
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $86,355
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $54,540-$68,175
Nebraska
- Salary you need to be happy: $96,180
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $87,020
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $54,960-$68,700
Iowa
- Salary you need to be happy: $96,495
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $87,305
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $55,140-$68,925
Texas
- Salary you need to be happy: $96,495
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $87,305
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $55,140-$68,925
Ohio
- Salary you need to be happy: $97,440
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $88,160
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $55,680-$69,600
Kentucky
- Salary you need to be happy: $97,755
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $88,445
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $55,860-$69,825
Louisiana
- Salary you need to be happy: $97,755
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $88,445
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $55,860-$69,825
Idaho
- Salary you need to be happy: $97,965
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $88,635
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $55,980-$69,975
Illinois
- Salary you need to be happy: $99,645
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $90,155
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $56,940-$71,175
North Carolina
- Salary you need to be happy: $99,750
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $90,250
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $57,000-$71,250
Wisconsin
- Salary you need to be happy: $101,220
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $91,580
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $57,840-$72,300
South Carolina
- Salary you need to be happy: $101,325
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $91,675
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $57,900-$72,375
Utah
- Salary you need to be happy: $102,270
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $92,530
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $58,440-$73,050
North Dakota
- Salary you need to be happy: $102,690
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $92,910
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $58,680-$73,350
Florida
- Salary you need to be happy: $103,110
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $93,290
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $58,920-$73,650
Arizona
- Salary you need to be happy: $104,580
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $94,620
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $59,760-$74,700
South Dakota
- Salary you need to be happy: $105,735
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $95,665
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $60,420-$75,525
Virginia
- Salary you need to be happy: $106,470
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $96,330
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $60,840-$76,050
Minnesota
- Salary you need to be happy: $106,575
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $96,425
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $60,900-$76,125
Wyoming
- Salary you need to be happy: $106,785
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $96,615
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $61,020-$76,275
Pennsylvania
- Salary you need to be happy: $107,520
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $97,280
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $61,440-$76,800
Colorado
- Salary you need to be happy: $110,040
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $99,560
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $62,880-$78,600
Montana
- Salary you need to be happy: $111,615
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $100,985
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $63,780-$79,725
Delaware
- Salary you need to be happy: $113,295
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $102,505
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $64,740-$80,925
Nevada
- Salary you need to be happy: $113,820
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $102,980
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $65,040-$81,300
New Hampshire
- Salary you need to be happy: $113,925
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $103,075
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $65,100-$81,375
Washington
- Salary you need to be happy: $115,605
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $104,595
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $66,060-$82,575
Vermont
- Salary you need to be happy: $120,015
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $108,585
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $68,580-$85,725
Maine
- Salary you need to be happy: $122,430
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $110,770
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $69,960-$87,450
Rhode Island
- Salary you need to be happy: $124,635
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $112,765
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $71,220-$89,025
New Jersey
- Salary you need to be happy: $129,885
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $117,515
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $74,220-$92,775
Connecticut
- Salary you need to be happy: $132,825
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $120,175
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $75,900-$94,875
Maryland
- Salary you need to be happy: $133,980
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $121,220
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $76,560-$95,700
Alaska
- Salary you need to be happy: $134,715
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $121,885
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $76,980-$96,225
Massachusetts
- Salary you need to be happy: $136,605
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $123,595
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $78,060-$97,575
Oregon
- Salary you need to be happy: $140,700
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $127,300
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $80,400-$100,500
New York
- Salary you need to be happy: $144,165
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $130,435
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $82,380-$102,975
California
- Salary you need to be happy: $144,585
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $130,815
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $82,620-$103,275
Hawaii
- Salary you need to be happy: $201,390
- Salary you need for life evaluation: $182,210
- Salary you need for emotional well-being: $115,080-$143,850
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Methodology: GOBankingRates determined the cost-of-living-adjusted minimum salary needed to be “happy” based on various income satiation levels, identified by Purdue University researchers. Global income satiation levels were defined as: $95,000 for “life evaluation” and $60,000-$75,000 for “emotional well-being.” In North America, the income satiation level is $105,000 for “life evaluation,” according to Purdue. To get a state-by-state breakdown, we factored in each city’s cost-of-living index, sourced from the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center: Composite Cost of Living Index 2019. All data was compiled on and is up to date as of Feb. 11, 2020.
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