From Mississippi to California, These Are the US States That Make It Hardest to Live Alone on One Salary

Living alone can strain a household budget even in states known for low prices, according to a report from the Affordable Contractors Insurance, which ranked Mississippi as the hardest place to cover basic expenses on a single income.

New York placed second, followed by Hawaii and Maine. The findings highlight that high living costs in some states and incomes are too low to cover comparatively modest expenses in others.

The analysis examined all 50 states considering median income for one-person households, estimated income needed for basic expenses after taxes, living costs, rental costs, unemployment, and multiple-job holding.

Its published income gaps reflect the difference between median one-person household income and the amount listed as necessary to cover basic costs. In Mississippi, median income for a one-person household was $27,205, compared with estimated annual needs of $36,088. That produced an $8,883 shortfall, the largest in the ranking, equivalent to about $740 each month.

The state’s cost-of-living index stood at 87.3, below the national benchmark of 100. Yet lower prices did not compensate for the income gap. The report also estimated that annual rent for a one-bedroom apartment exceeded $10,000, approaching 40% of the median income listed for someone living alone.

New York’s median one-person household income of $42,397 was substantially higher than Mississippi’s, but estimated annual needs reached $49,855. The resulting $7,458 gap was the second largest.

New York’s cost-of-living index was 125.1, indicating overall costs roughly 25% above the national benchmark used in the study. Higher income therefore provided limited protection against the expense of maintaining a household without someone to share the bills.

Hawaii ranked third, with a median one-person household income of $44,402 and estimated annual needs of $50,771. That left a $6,369 shortfall, or approximately $531 per month. Its cost-of-living index of 185 was the highest among the 10 states listed, placing overall living costs 85% above the study’s national benchmark.

The figure describes the combined cost index, rather than establishing that every individual expense was that much higher. Maine followed with a $6,117 annual gap. Median income for one-person households was $36,001, while estimated basic needs totaled $42,118. Its cost-of-living index was 113.

The report listed Maine’s multiple-job holding rate at 8.2%, the highest among the top 10. That figure describes workers overall, however, and does not establish how many people living alone had second jobs or why they took them.

Louisiana ranked fifth, with a $5,829 shortfall, narrowly ahead of Montana’s $5,826. Their similar gaps emerged despite different income levels: $29,921 in Louisiana and $35,369 in Montana.

West Virginia followed at $4,859, then Alabama at $4,852. Both had cost-of-living indexes below 90, reinforcing the finding that relatively inexpensive states can remain difficult places to support a household alone.

Massachusetts ranked ninth despite having the highest median one-person household income among the top 10, at $45,920. Estimated annual needs of $50,697 left a $4,777 gap. Idaho completed the list with a $4,664 shortfall. Across the top 10, the annual shortfalls ranged from $4,664 to $8,883.