What Your Salary Actually Buys in Every State
Forget "which state is cheapest?" - the right question is "where does YOUR salary go furthest?". Pre-built purchasing power tables for $60k through $150k, plus the comfortable-living salary threshold for every state.
Purchasing power, all 50 states
What your salary is "worth" elsewhere
Each cell shows the national-average equivalent of your salary in that state. Higher numbers in cheap states (your money stretches further). Lower numbers in expensive states (more of your salary goes to fixed costs).
| State | Index | $60k = | $80k = | $100k = | $120k = | $150k = |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi | 83.3 | $72,029 | $96,038 | $120,048 | $144,058 | $180,072 |
| West Virginia | 84.1 | $71,344 | $95,125 | $118,906 | $142,687 | $178,359 |
| Kansas | 84.8 | $70,755 | $94,340 | $117,925 | $141,509 | $176,887 |
| Oklahoma | 84.9 | $70,671 | $94,229 | $117,786 | $141,343 | $176,678 |
| Arkansas | 86.0 | $69,767 | $93,023 | $116,279 | $139,535 | $174,419 |
| Missouri | 87.1 | $68,886 | $91,848 | $114,811 | $137,773 | $172,216 |
| Kentucky | 87.5 | $68,571 | $91,429 | $114,286 | $137,143 | $171,429 |
| Alabama | 87.9 | $68,259 | $91,013 | $113,766 | $136,519 | $170,648 |
| Iowa | 89.0 | $67,416 | $89,888 | $112,360 | $134,831 | $168,539 |
| Indiana | 89.4 | $67,114 | $89,485 | $111,857 | $134,228 | $167,785 |
| Louisiana | 89.6 | $66,964 | $89,286 | $111,607 | $133,929 | $167,411 |
| Tennessee | 89.7 | $66,890 | $89,186 | $111,483 | $133,779 | $167,224 |
| Ohio | 89.8 | $66,815 | $89,087 | $111,359 | $133,630 | $167,038 |
| Michigan | 90.3 | $66,445 | $88,594 | $110,742 | $132,890 | $166,113 |
| Nebraska | 90.8 | $66,079 | $88,106 | $110,132 | $132,159 | $165,198 |
| New Mexico | 91.3 | $65,717 | $87,623 | $109,529 | $131,435 | $164,294 |
| Georgia | 91.5 | $65,574 | $87,432 | $109,290 | $131,148 | $163,934 |
| Texas | 91.5 | $65,574 | $87,432 | $109,290 | $131,148 | $163,934 |
| South Carolina | 92.5 | $64,865 | $86,486 | $108,108 | $129,730 | $162,162 |
| Illinois | 93.4 | $64,240 | $85,653 | $107,066 | $128,480 | $160,600 |
| Wisconsin | 93.5 | $64,171 | $85,561 | $106,952 | $128,342 | $160,428 |
| North Dakota | 94.5 | $63,492 | $84,656 | $105,820 | $126,984 | $158,730 |
| North Carolina | 94.9 | $63,224 | $84,299 | $105,374 | $126,449 | $158,061 |
| South Dakota | 95.2 | $63,025 | $84,034 | $105,042 | $126,050 | $157,563 |
| Wyoming | 95.8 | $62,630 | $83,507 | $104,384 | $125,261 | $156,576 |
| Idaho | 96.8 | $61,983 | $82,645 | $103,306 | $123,967 | $154,959 |
| Minnesota | 97.1 | $61,792 | $82,389 | $102,987 | $123,584 | $154,480 |
| Montana | 99.2 | $60,484 | $80,645 | $100,806 | $120,968 | $151,210 |
| Pennsylvania | 99.5 | $60,302 | $80,402 | $100,503 | $120,603 | $150,754 |
| Arizona | 102.2 | $58,708 | $78,278 | $97,847 | $117,417 | $146,771 |
| Delaware | 102.4 | $58,594 | $78,125 | $97,656 | $117,188 | $146,484 |
| Florida | 102.8 | $58,366 | $77,821 | $97,276 | $116,732 | $145,914 |
| Utah | 103.5 | $57,971 | $77,295 | $96,618 | $115,942 | $144,928 |
| Virginia | 103.7 | $57,859 | $77,146 | $96,432 | $115,718 | $144,648 |
| Nevada | 104.2 | $57,582 | $76,775 | $95,969 | $115,163 | $143,954 |
| Colorado | 105.1 | $57,088 | $76,118 | $95,147 | $114,177 | $142,721 |
| Washington | 110.7 | $54,201 | $72,267 | $90,334 | $108,401 | $135,501 |
| Rhode Island | 111.8 | $53,667 | $71,556 | $89,445 | $107,335 | $134,168 |
| Maine | 112.1 | $53,524 | $71,365 | $89,206 | $107,047 | $133,809 |
| New Hampshire | 112.5 | $53,333 | $71,111 | $88,889 | $106,667 | $133,333 |
| Connecticut | 112.8 | $53,191 | $70,922 | $88,652 | $106,383 | $132,979 |
| Oregon | 113.1 | $53,050 | $70,734 | $88,417 | $106,101 | $132,626 |
| Vermont | 114.5 | $52,402 | $69,869 | $87,336 | $104,803 | $131,004 |
| New Jersey | 115.2 | $52,083 | $69,444 | $86,806 | $104,167 | $130,208 |
| Maryland | 118.2 | $50,761 | $67,682 | $84,602 | $101,523 | $126,904 |
| New York | 126.5 | $47,431 | $63,241 | $79,051 | $94,862 | $118,577 |
| Alaska | 127.0 | $47,244 | $62,992 | $78,740 | $94,488 | $118,110 |
| California | 142.2 | $42,194 | $56,259 | $70,323 | $84,388 | $105,485 |
| Massachusetts | 148.4 | $40,431 | $53,908 | $67,385 | $80,863 | $101,078 |
| Hawaii | 193.3 | $31,040 | $41,386 | $51,733 | $62,080 | $77,600 |
The 50/30/20 rule
Comfortable-living salary by state
The salary needed to apply the 50/30/20 budgeting framework (50% needs, 30% wants, 20% savings) without being squeezed. National benchmarks: $84,000 single, $165,000 family of four. Scaled by each state's cost of living index.
| State | Index | Single adult | Family of 4 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi | 83.3 | $69,972 | $137,445 | $46,511 |
| West Virginia | 84.1 | $70,644 | $138,765 | $50,884 |
| Kansas | 84.8 | $71,232 | $139,920 | $64,521 |
| Oklahoma | 84.9 | $71,316 | $140,085 | $56,956 |
| Arkansas | 86.0 | $72,240 | $141,900 | $52,528 |
| Missouri | 87.1 | $73,164 | $143,715 | $61,043 |
| Kentucky | 87.5 | $73,500 | $144,375 | $55,573 |
| Alabama | 87.9 | $73,836 | $145,035 | $56,950 |
| Iowa | 89.0 | $74,760 | $146,850 | $65,573 |
| Indiana | 89.4 | $75,096 | $147,510 | $61,944 |
| Louisiana | 89.6 | $75,264 | $147,840 | $52,295 |
| Tennessee | 89.7 | $75,348 | $148,005 | $59,695 |
| Ohio | 89.8 | $75,432 | $148,170 | $61,938 |
| Michigan | 90.3 | $75,852 | $148,995 | $63,498 |
| Nebraska | 90.8 | $76,272 | $149,820 | $65,720 |
| New Mexico | 91.3 | $76,692 | $150,645 | $53,992 |
| Georgia | 91.5 | $76,860 | $150,975 | $65,030 |
| Texas | 91.5 | $76,860 | $150,975 | $67,321 |
| South Carolina | 92.5 | $77,700 | $152,625 | $59,318 |
| Illinois | 93.4 | $78,456 | $154,110 | $72,205 |
| Wisconsin | 93.5 | $78,540 | $154,275 | $67,125 |
| North Dakota | 94.5 | $79,380 | $155,925 | $66,519 |
| North Carolina | 94.9 | $79,716 | $156,585 | $62,891 |
| South Dakota | 95.2 | $79,968 | $157,080 | $63,920 |
| Wyoming | 95.8 | $80,472 | $158,070 | $65,003 |
| Idaho | 96.8 | $81,312 | $159,720 | $63,527 |
| Minnesota | 97.1 | $81,564 | $160,215 | $77,706 |
| Montana | 99.2 | $83,328 | $163,680 | $62,043 |
| Pennsylvania | 99.5 | $83,580 | $164,175 | $67,587 |
| Arizona | 102.2 | $85,848 | $168,630 | $69,056 |
| Delaware | 102.4 | $86,016 | $168,960 | $72,724 |
| Florida | 102.8 | $86,352 | $169,620 | $63,062 |
| Utah | 103.5 | $86,940 | $170,775 | $74,197 |
| Virginia | 103.7 | $87,108 | $171,105 | $80,615 |
| Nevada | 104.2 | $87,528 | $171,930 | $66,274 |
| Colorado | 105.1 | $88,284 | $173,415 | $82,254 |
| Washington | 110.7 | $92,988 | $182,655 | $82,228 |
| Rhode Island | 111.8 | $93,912 | $184,470 | $71,169 |
| Maine | 112.1 | $94,164 | $184,965 | $64,767 |
| New Hampshire | 112.5 | $94,500 | $185,625 | $83,449 |
| Connecticut | 112.8 | $94,752 | $186,120 | $83,771 |
| Oregon | 113.1 | $95,004 | $186,615 | $70,084 |
| Vermont | 114.5 | $96,180 | $188,925 | $65,792 |
| New Jersey | 115.2 | $96,768 | $190,080 | $85,245 |
| Maryland | 118.2 | $99,288 | $195,030 | $87,063 |
| New York | 126.5 | $106,260 | $208,725 | $74,314 |
| Alaska | 127.0 | $106,680 | $209,550 | $77,640 |
| California | 142.2 | $119,448 | $234,630 | $84,907 |
| Massachusetts | 148.4 | $124,656 | $244,860 | $89,645 |
| Hawaii | 193.3 | $162,372 | $318,945 | $84,857 |
Role-specific salary data
What does your role actually pay?
For role-specific salary data alongside cost of living, our portfolio of salary-research sites publishes detailed breakdowns by experience and metro.
Frequently Asked
Salary purchasing power, answered
What salary do I need to live comfortably in California?
Around $119,448 for a single adult and $234,630 for a family of four, applying the 50/30/20 rule (50% needs, 30% wants, 20% savings) at California's cost of living index of 142.2.
What does $100k actually buy in each state?
It depends entirely on the state. $100,000 in Mississippi has the purchasing power of about $120,048 at the national average. In California it's worth only $70,323. In Hawaii $100k buys what $51,733 buys nationally. The full table below shows all 50 states.
What's the best-value state for high earners?
Texas, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, and Florida all combine reasonable cost of living (90-103) with relatively high median wages and either no income tax or low income tax. For someone earning $150k+, the after-tax purchasing power often beats more obviously cheap states like Mississippi where wages are also lower.
How do you calculate purchasing power?
Purchasing power = (your salary / state COLI) x 100. So a $100,000 salary in California (index 142.2) has purchasing power of $70,323 in national-average terms. The same $100,000 in Mississippi (index 83.3) has purchasing power of $120,048. The metric tells you how much typical household spending power your salary supports.
Does this account for taxes?
No. The C2ER index excludes state and local tax. For a salary comparison that incorporates tax, you'd need to subtract state income tax, property tax burden (if you own), and sales tax burden. We discuss this in detail on our taxes page. Generally: high-tax-burden states (CA, NY, NJ) get worse on a tax-adjusted basis; no-income-tax states (TN, TX, FL) get better.