The Salary You Need To Quit Your Side Gig, State by State
When can you stop thinking of alternate ways to make money? It really depends on where you live in the country. Certain states require a lot more money to get by than others.
In 2025, SmartAsset did a study that determined the salary needed to live comfortably in each state. This took into account the pre-tax income needed for necessities, plus some extra money for savings and discretionary spending.
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Here’s the salary a single adult would need to live comfortably in each state and wouldn’t need to pick up a side job.
Alabama
Salary: $85,280
Alaska
Salary: $100,298
Arizona
Salary: $101,587
Arkansas
Salary: $81,078
California
Salary: $119,475
Colorado
Salary: $105,955
Connecticut
Salary: $105,165
Delaware
Salary: $97,469
Florida
Salary: $97,386
Georgia
Salary: $99,990
Hawaii
Salary: $124,467 (highest salary)
Idaho
Salary: $96,429
Illinois
Salary: $98,010
Indiana
Salary: $86,570
Iowa
Salary: $86,902
Kansas
Salary: $87,610
Kentucky
Salary: $83,574
Louisiana
Salary: $85,322
Maine
Salary: $96,595
Maryland
Salary: $108,867
Massachusetts
Salary: $120,141
Michigan
Salary: $87,235
Minnesota
Salary: $91,728
Mississippi
Salary: $86,320
Missouri
Salary: $86,819
Montana
Salary: $92,851
Nebraska
Salary: $87,318
Nevada
Salary: $99,216
New Hampshire
Salary: $103,085
New Jersey
Salary: $108,992
New Mexico
Salary: $87,402
New York
Salary: $114,691
North Carolina
Salary: $93,766
North Dakota
Salary: $82,285
Ohio
Salary: $84,781
Oklahoma
Salary: $84,282
Oregon
Salary: $104,666
Pennsylvania
Salary: $95,306
Rhode Island
Salary: $101,338
South Carolina
Salary: $92,144
South Dakota
Salary: $82,160
Tennessee
Salary: $91,478
Texas
Salary: $90,771
Utah
Salary: $99,466
Vermont
Salary: $99,632
Virginia
Salary: $106,704
Washington
Salary: $109,658
West Virginia
Salary: $80,829 (lowest salary)
Wisconsin
Salary: $87,194
Wyoming
Salary: $87,942
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
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