Half of States Need $30 an Hour Wage to Live
American families in 25 states need to make about $53,000 per year after taxes
March 2, 2026
U.S. families residing in half the nation must earn US$30 an hour, or roughly $53,000 per year after taxes, to live, according to analysis from finance app platform MoneyLion. In no state can a family of four—defined as a married couple with children, the oldest child age 6 to 17—get by earning less than $20 an hour, it said.
The federal hourly minimum age remains stuck at $7.25 since 2009. The highest minimum wage in the U.S. is only $17.95 in Washington, D.C.
MoneyLion used 2024 Consumer Expenditure Survey data to determine annual living expenses for a family of four in all 50 states. The report itemized costs, such as housing, groceries, utilities, healthcare, and transportation, collectively referred to as necessities. MoneyLion defined the living wage as the minimum hourly wage needed to achieve a living wage.
MoneyLion’s findings included:
- Mississippi and Oklahoma boast the lowest hourly living wages. A family of four needs to earn at least $25.35 (Mississippi) or $25.65 (Oklahoma) per hour to maintain a living wage.
- A family of four must earn $45 or more per hour to get by in three states. The minimum hourly living wage is $46.22 in California, $54.25 in Massachusetts, and $69.43 in Hawaii.
- In 13 Southern states, families can earn $30 or less per hour and still maintain a living wage. From lowest to highest hourly wages needed, these states include Mississippi ($25.35), Oklahoma ($25.65), Tennessee ($26.11), West Virginia ($26.35), Alabama ($26.39), Arkansas ($26.45), Texas ($26.65), Kentucky ($27.27), Louisiana ($27.77), Georgia ($27.96), South Carolina ($28.24), Florida ($29.70), and North Carolina ($29.91).
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