How much does a person have to make each year to "live comfortably" in Idaho?
SmartAsset, "an online destination for consumer-focused financial information and advice," recently ran the numbers. They claim that an individual must make $96,429 a year in order to live a "comfortable lifestyle" in the Gem State. An Idaho family of four must make $223,142.
RELATED: Boise has the second-worst housing crisis outlook in the nation
That lifestyle includes being able to participate in hobbies, pay for housing, go on vacation, save for retirement, and financially accommodate the one-off emergency.
SmartAsset says that their methodology for determining what constitutes living comfortably is based on the 50/30/20 budget rule.
That rule states that a healthy income allocation for an individual or family should be as follows:
50/30/20 Rule:
- 50% for necessities
- 30% for discretionary spending
- 20% for long-term goals such as retirement
Out of the 50 states, Idaho currently ranks #24 in terms of the amount of income required to live comfortably.
Hawaii, which grabbed the top spot, is the most expensive state to live comfortably. There, an individual must make upwards of $124k to live a comfortable lifestyle, while a family must generate $294k.
The least expensive state to live comfortably is West Virginia, where an individual must earn $80,829. A family of four in WV must earn $195k.
A comfortable life is costing more than ever.
— SmartAsset (@smartasset) June 4, 2025
📈 According to our latest study, individuals need nearly $6,000 more than last year. Families? Over $9,000 more.
Find out the exact salary it takes to live comfortably in your state: https://t.co/7ggTCmtyAE#SmartAsset… pic.twitter.com/7659mIlNPG
Salary Needed to Live Comfortably in Each State
1 Hawaii: Single adult - $124,467 | Family of Four - $294,362
2 Massachusetts: Single adult - $120,141 | Family of Four - $313,747
3 California: Single adult - $119,475 | Family of Four - $287,456
4 New York: Single adult - $114,691| Family of Four - $276,973
5 Washington: Single adult - $109,658 | Family of Four - $277,888
6 New Jersey: Single adult - $108,992 | Family of Four - $282,714
7 Maryland: Single adult - $108,867 | Family of Four - $259,168
8 Virginia: Single adult - $106,704 | Family of Four - $241,696
9 Colorado: Single adult - $105,955 | Family of Four - $273,728
10 Connecticut: Single adult - $105,165 | Family of Four - $290,368
11 Oregon: Single adult - $104,666 | Family of Four - $261,914
12 New Hampshire: Single adult - $103,085| Family of Four - $259,501
13 Arizona: Single adult - $101,587 | Family of Four - $237,952
14 Rhode Island: Single adult - $101,338 | Family of Four - $256,672
15 Alaska: Single adult - $100,298 | Family of Four - $259,002
16 Vermont: Single adult - $99,632 | Family of Four - $286,790
17 Georgia: Single adult - $99,590 | Family of Four - $210,829
18 Utah: Single adult - $99,466 | Family of Four - $231,046
19 Nevada: Single adult - $99,216 | Family of Four - $238,534
20 Illinois: Single adult - $98,010 | Family of Four - $234,291
21 Delaware: Single adult - $97,469 | Family of Four - $223,142
22 Florida: Single adult - $97,386 | Family of Four - $217,651
23 Maine: Single adult - $96,595 | Family of Four - $239,699
24 Idaho: Single adult - $96,429 | Family of Four - $223,142
25 Pennsylvania: Single adult - $95,306 | Family of Four - $248,435
26 North Carolina: Single adult - $93,766 | Family of Four - $210,746
27 Montana: Single adult - $92,851 | Family of Four - $234,957
28 South Carolina: Single adult - $92,144 | Family of Four - $208,333
29 Minnesota: Single adult - $91,728 | Family of Four - $251,264
30 Tennessee: Single adult - $91,478 | Family of Four - $200,678
31 Texas: Single adult - $90,771 | Family of Four - $204,922
32 Wyoming: Single adult - $87,942 | Family of Four - $209,914
33 Kansas: Single adult - $87,610| Family of Four - $200,678
34 New Mexico: Single adult - $87,402 | Family of Four - $220,813
35 Nebraska: Single adult - $87,318 | Family of Four - $215,738
36 Michigan: Single adult - $87,235 | Family of Four - $207,584
37 Wisconsin: Single adult - $87,194 | Family of Four - $225,555
38 Iowa: Single adult - $86,902| Family of Four - $202,675
39 Missouri: Single adult - $86,819 | Family of Four - $218,317
40 Indiana: Single adult - $86,570 | Family of Four - $220,230
41 Mississippi: Single adult - $86,320| Family of Four - $186,618
42 Louisiana: Single adult - $85,322 | Family of Four - $199,597
43 Alabama: Single adult - $85,280 | Family of Four - $194,522
44 Ohio: Single adult - $84,781 | Family of Four - $220,563
45 Oklahoma: Single adult - $84,282 | Family of Four - $208,749
46 Kentucky: Single adult - $83,574 | Family of Four - $192,941
47 North Dakota: Single adult - $82,285 | Family of Four - $207,334
48 South Dakota: Single adult - $82,160 | Family of Four - $197,933
49 Arkansas: Single adult - $81,078 | Family of Four - $193,773
50 West Virginia: Single adult - $80,829 | Family of Four - $195,354
Find the entire SmartAsset study here: Here’s the Salary It Takes to Live Comfortably in Each U.S. State – 2025 Study
