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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