5 States Where a 'Comfortable Life' Feels Within Reach — And Where It Doesn't
Is the American Dream dead? Long live the American Dream?
Americans can still live a comfortable life without a massive salary — in some states. And of course, opportunity varies within states as well.
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As you look to build a “comfortable life,” start with these five states that balance cost of living with economic opportunity.
1. Kansas
Cost of living rank: Fifth lowest
Opportunity rank: Fifth highest
State tax burden rank: 13th highest
Average home price: $249,382
According to World Population Review, Kansas ranks high on the list for affordability. And sure enough, Zillow reports the average home costs 32.3% less than the national average of $368,198.
Yet Kansas also offers abundant opportunity for career growth, with U.S. News and World Report placing it fifth on its latest rankings. The state does charge higher taxes than average however, combining property tax, sales tax and income tax.
2. Iowa
Cost of living rank: Eighth lowest
Opportunity rank: Second highest
State tax burden rank: 12th highest
Average home price: $234,891
Iowa shares a similar profile to Kansas, ranking high on affordability and second best in the country on opportunity.
Like Kansas, homes remain affordable, costing 36.2% less than the national average. Unfortunately, it shares a similar total tax burden as well, costing residents an average of 9.21% of their household incomes.
3. West Virginia
Cost of living rank: Third lowest
Opportunity rank: Eighth highest
State tax burden rank: 18th highest
Average home price: $174,876
West Virginia homes cost less than half (52.5% lower than) the national average, for impressive housing affordability. In fact, the state ranks third in the country for overall affordability including costs like groceries, utilities, transportation and healthcare.
Plus, they have that whole “wild and wonderful” thing going on, which sounds pretty awesome if you like the great outdoors. Expect to lose an average of 8.89% of your income to total state taxes.
4. North Dakota
Cost of living rank: 12th lowest
Opportunity rank: Fourth highest
State tax burden rank: 43rd highest
Average home price: $286,406
After the energy industry boomed during the 2010s, North Dakota has flourished both economically and culturally. It ranks fourth in the nation for opportunity in 2026.
The “Roughrider State” also remains pretty affordable, ranking 12th overall with housing costs averaging 22.2% lower than the nationwide average.
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5. Missouri
Cost of living rank: Sixth lowest
Opportunity rank: 11th highest
State tax burden rank: 34th highest
Average home price: $265,398
With its low cost of living and housing costs 27.9% lower than the country at large, the “Show-Me State” lives up to its moniker. Missouri also charges a lower-than-average total tax burden of 7.84%.
The 5 States Where a 'Comfortable Life' Remains a Dream
The following five states come with the highest cost of living in the country:
Hawaii
California
Massachusetts
New York
Alaska
Compounding the problem, four of the five charge infamously high state and local taxes as well. Hawaii charges the highest tax burden in the country at 13.30%. New York ranks second highest in the country at 12.39%.
These states tend to rank low on opportunity as well. California ranks dead last in the country for opportunity, due to a lack of affordability. New York ranks second-worst here as well. Massachusetts ranks 41st.
Oh, and forget about buying a home in these states unless you’re already quite “comfortable.” The average Hawaii home costs $830,219. California isn’t much lower at $776,233.
The American Dream lives on — but if you want to make it a personal reality, you might need to move states.
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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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