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The Living Wage a Single Person Needs in All 50 States in 2025

September 11, 2025

9 min Read

Written by Heather Taylor

Edited by Chris Cluff

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Could the minimum wage in your state cover your annual cost of living and achieve a living wage? The answer is yes — but only if you’re a single person.

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Using the definition of living wage as the absolute minimum hourly wage needed to get by — assuming you’re working five days a week, eight hours a day for 2,080 hours a year — GOBankingRates surveyed annual living expenses for a single person in all 50 states. Key itemized costs of living included housing, groceries, utilities, healthcare and transportation — with each necessity’s annual cost calculated and summed up to find its total annual expenditure.

Here’s the living wage a single person needs in all 50 states.

Alabama

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $14
Required annual income: $28,476
Annual grocery costs: $3,608
Annual housing costs: $8,915
Annual utilities costs: $3,078
Annual transportation costs: $3,459
Annual healthcare costs: $3,857

Alaska

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $21
Required annual income: $43,969
Annual grocery costs: $4,817
Annual housing costs: $16,926
Annual utilities costs: $4,116
Annual transportation costs: $4,339
Annual healthcare costs: $6,042

Arizona

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $19
Required annual income: $39,637
Annual grocery costs: $3,789
Annual housing costs: $17,391
Annual utilities costs: $3,315
Annual transportation costs: $3,933
Annual healthcare costs: $3,861

Today’s Top Offers

Arkansas

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $14
Required annual income: $28,918
Annual grocery costs: $3,516
Annual housing costs: $10,218
Annual utilities costs: $2,873
Annual transportation costs: $3,478
Annual healthcare costs: $3,631

California

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $26
Required annual income: $54,997
Annual grocery costs: $4,022
Annual housing costs: $25,518
Annual utilities costs: $4,384
Annual transportation costs: $5,220
Annual healthcare costs: $4,482

Colorado

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $17
Required annual income: $36,237
Annual grocery costs: $3,793
Annual housing costs: $14,372
Annual utilities costs: $2,751
Annual transportation costs: $3,692
Annual healthcare costs: $4,639

Connecticut

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $20
Required annual income: $40,624
Annual grocery costs: $3,752
Annual housing costs: $15,559
Annual utilities costs: $4,287
Annual transportation costs: $3,880
Annual healthcare costs: $4,788

Delaware

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $17
Required annual income before taxes: $34,930
Annual grocery costs: $3,701
Annual housing costs: $13,082
Annual utilities costs: $3,097
Annual transportation costs: $3,764
Annual healthcare costs: $4,537

Florida

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $16
Required annual income: $33,842
Annual grocery costs: $3,886
Annual housing costs: $13,675
Annual utilities costs: $3,094
Annual transportation costs: $3,809
Annual healthcare costs: $3,840

Georgia

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $15
Required annual income: $30,669
Annual grocery costs: $3,612
Annual housing costs: $10,282
Annual utilities costs: $3,197
Annual transportation costs: $3,673
Annual healthcare costs: $4,031

Hawaii

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $39
Required annual income: $81,673
Annual grocery costs: $4,976
Annual housing costs: $37,684
Annual utilities costs: $6,449
Annual transportation costs: $5,386
Annual healthcare costs: $5,353

Idaho

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $16
Required annual income: $34,040
Annual grocery costs: $3,860
Annual housing costs: $12,927
Annual utilities costs: $2,302
Annual transportation costs: $3,963
Annual healthcare costs: $4,371

Illinois

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $16
Required annual income before taxes: $32,444
Annual grocery costs: $3,642
Annual housing costs: $10,940
Annual utilities costs: $3,031
Annual transportation costs: $3,764
Annual healthcare costs: $4,350

Today’s Top Offers

Indiana

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $15
Required annual income: $30,340
Annual grocery costs: $3,623
Annual housing costs: $9,805
Annual utilities costs: $2,935
Annual transportation costs: $3,741
Annual healthcare costs: $4,048

Iowa

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $14
Required annual income: $29,217
Annual grocery costs: $3,538
Annual housing costs: $10,024
Annual utilities costs: $2,788
Annual transportation costs: $3,594
Annual healthcare costs: $4,082

Kansas

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $14
Required annual income: $29,911
Annual grocery costs: $3,568
Annual housing costs: $9,753
Annual utilities costs: $3,128
Annual transportation costs: $3,395
Annual healthcare costs: $4,341

Kentucky

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $14
Required annual income: $29,355
Annual grocery costs: $3,686
Annual housing costs: $9,676
Annual utilities costs: $2,720
Annual transportation costs: $3,583
Annual healthcare costs: $3,967

Louisiana

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $14
Required annual income: $30,097
Annual grocery costs: $3,575
Annual housing costs: $10,837
Annual utilities costs: $2,536
Annual transportation costs: $3,677
Annual healthcare costs: $4,065

Maine

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $20
Required annual income: $42,015
Annual grocery costs: $3,708
Annual housing costs: $17,184
Annual utilities costs: $3,732
Annual transportation costs: $3,925
Annual healthcare costs: $4,992

Maryland

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $21
Required annual income: $43,500
Annual grocery costs: $3,886
Annual housing costs: $17,262
Annual utilities costs: $3,564
Annual transportation costs: $3,899
Annual healthcare costs: $4,482

Massachusetts

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $29
Required annual income: $59,520
Annual grocery costs: $3,797
Annual housing costs: $27,737
Annual utilities costs: $4,951
Annual transportation costs: $3,877
Annual healthcare costs: $5,910

Michigan

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $14
Required annual income before taxes: $29,398
Annual grocery costs: $3,656
Annual housing costs: $9,534
Annual utilities costs: $3,035
Annual transportation costs: $3,786
Annual healthcare costs: $3,759

Minnesota

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $15
Required annual income before taxes: $30,799
Annual grocery costs: $3,723
Annual housing costs: $10,295
Annual utilities costs: $2,972
Annual transportation costs: $3,617
Annual healthcare costs: $4,384

Today’s Top Offers

Mississippi

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $13
Required annual income: $27,894
Annual grocery costs: $3,545
Annual housing costs: $9,353
Annual utilities costs: $2,795
Annual transportation costs: $3,368
Annual healthcare costs: $4,069

Missouri

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $14
Required annual income: $28,182
Annual grocery costs: $3,575
Annual housing costs: $9,650
Annual utilities costs: $3,038
Annual transportation costs: $3,282
Annual healthcare costs: $3,869

Montana

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $16
Required annual income: $32,233
Annual grocery costs: $3,863
Annual housing costs: $11,921
Annual utilities costs: $2,505
Annual transportation costs: $3,707
Annual healthcare costs: $4,477

Nebraska

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $14
Required annual income: $29,777
Annual grocery costs: $3,656
Annual housing costs: $10,140
Annual utilities costs: $2,804
Annual transportation costs: $3,575
Annual healthcare costs: $4,137

Nevada

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $17
Required annual income before taxes: $34,414
Annual grocery costs: $3,804
Annual housing costs: $14,359
Annual utilities costs: $2,764
Annual transportation costs: $4,306
Annual healthcare costs: $3,623

New Hampshire

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $18
Required annual income: $37,054
Annual grocery costs: $3,653
Annual housing costs: $14,991
Annual utilities costs: $3,760
Annual transportation costs: $3,877
Annual healthcare costs: $4,516

New Jersey

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $20
Required annual income: $41,830
Annual grocery costs: $3,793
Annual housing costs: $18,487
Annual utilities costs: $3,181
Annual transportation costs: $3,816
Annual healthcare costs: $4,643

New Mexico

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $15
Required annual income: $31,637
Annual grocery costs: $3,619
Annual housing costs: $11,637
Annual utilities costs: $2,620
Annual transportation costs: $3,481
Annual healthcare costs: $4,648

New York

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $23
Required annual income: $48,849
Annual grocery costs: $3,849
Annual housing costs: $22,474
Annual utilities costs: $3,122
Annual transportation costs: $4,091
Annual healthcare costs: $4,699

Today’s Top Offers

North Carolina

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $16
Required annual income before taxes: $33,399
Annual grocery costs: $3,612
Annual housing costs: $12,243
Annual utilities costs: $2,950
Annual transportation costs: $3,496
Annual healthcare costs: $4,711

North Dakota

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $14
Required annual income: $29,037
Annual grocery costs: $3,594
Annual housing costs: $9,921
Annual utilities costs: $2,636
Annual transportation costs: $3,673
Annual healthcare costs: $4,648

Ohio

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $15
Required annual income: $31,075
Annual grocery costs: $3,682
Annual housing costs: $11,185
Annual utilities costs: $3,025
Annual transportation costs: $3,760
Annual healthcare costs: $4,227

Oklahoma

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $13
Required annual income: $27,860
Annual grocery costs: $3,538
Annual housing costs: $9,095
Annual utilities costs: $2,950
Annual transportation costs: $3,263
Annual healthcare costs: $4,022

Oregon

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $21
Required annual income: $43,778
Annual grocery costs: $3,886
Annual housing costs: $16,926
Annual utilities costs: $2,950
Annual transportation costs: $4,317
Annual healthcare costs: $5,196

Pennsylvania

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $16
Required annual income: $32,786
Annual grocery costs: $3,601
Annual housing costs: $11,198
Annual utilities costs: $3,380
Annual transportation costs: $3,933
Annual healthcare costs: $3,984

Rhode Island

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $18
Required annual income: $37,312
Annual grocery costs: $3,660
Annual housing costs: $14,333
Annual utilities costs: $4,284
Annual transportation costs: $3,639
Annual healthcare costs: $4,269

South Carolina

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $15
Required annual income: $30,348
Annual grocery costs: $3,656
Annual housing costs: $10,953
Annual utilities costs: $3,000
Annual transportation costs: $3,617
Annual healthcare costs: $4,039

South Dakota

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $15
Required annual income: $32,219
Annual grocery costs: $3,823
Annual housing costs: $12,243
Annual utilities costs: $2,726
Annual transportation costs: $3,771
Annual healthcare costs: $4,460

Today’s Top Offers

Tennessee

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $14
Required annual income: $28,240
Annual grocery costs: $3,575
Annual housing costs: $10,514
Annual utilities costs: $2,739
Annual transportation costs: $3,361
Annual healthcare costs: $3,653

Texas

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $14
Required annual income: $29,361
Annual grocery costs: $3,542
Annual housing costs: $10,321
Annual utilities costs: $3,218
Annual transportation costs: $3,466
Annual healthcare costs: $4,188

Utah

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $17
Required annual income: $35,732
Annual grocery costs: $3,627
Annual housing costs: $14,294
Annual utilities costs: $2,630
Annual transportation costs: $3,843
Annual healthcare costs: $3,818

Vermont

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $20
Required annual income: $40,767
Annual grocery costs: $3,934
Annual housing costs: $16,862
Annual utilities costs: $3,567
Annual transportation costs: $3,809
Annual healthcare costs: $4,805

Virginia

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $17
Required annual income: $35,604
Annual grocery costs: $3,656
Annual housing costs: $13,572
Annual utilities costs: $3,066
Annual transportation costs: $3,564
Annual healthcare costs: $4,575

Washington

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $18
Required annual income: $37,930
Annual grocery costs: $4,000
Annual housing costs: $15,068
Annual utilities costs: $3,013
Annual transportation costs: $4,607
Annual healthcare costs: $4,805

West Virginia

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $14
Required annual income: $28,492
Annual grocery costs: $3,575
Annual housing costs: $9,237
Annual utilities costs: $2,873
Annual transportation costs: $3,613
Annual healthcare costs: $4,014

Wisconsin

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $16
Required annual income: $34,120
Annual grocery costs: $3,682
Annual housing costs: $12,862
Annual utilities costs: $2,879
Annual transportation costs: $3,752
Annual healthcare costs: $4,358

Wyoming

Bare minimum hourly living wage: $15
Required annual income: $30,961
Annual grocery costs: $3,767
Annual housing costs: $11,766
Annual utilities costs: $2,813
Annual transportation costs: $3,455
Annual healthcare costs: $4,163

Find more original studies and surveys in the GOBankingRates original research center.

Methodology: GOBankingRates surveyed annual living expenses for a single person in all 50 states, using the 2023 Consumer Expenditure Survey (latest available) data for a single person from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The itemized costs of living were housing, groceries, utilities, healthcare and transportation, collectively termed “necessities.” Based on each state’s cost-of-living index for each category, sourced from the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center’s 2025 Q1 Cost of Living Data Series, the study calculated the annual cost of each necessity and summed them up to find total annual expenditure on necessities. With these figures found, GOBankingRates found the absolute minimum of what could be considered a living wage. This living wage is defined as the absolute minimum hourly wage needed to achieve living wage, assuming someone works five days a week, eight hour days for 2,080 hours a year. All data was collected on and is up to date as of Aug. 18, 2025.

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