Here’s the ‘Living Wage’ in Every State (and D.C.) in 2025

Can you afford to live where you are? The answer depends on two factors — your earnings and the cost of living in your area.

The federal minimum wage in the United States is $7.25 per hour. Some states and cities set their minimum wages higher — including many states that have increased their minimum wages this year, as we reported in “Here’s the Minimum Wage in Every State in 2026.”

The cost of living varies a great deal across the country. But even in lower-cost areas, a minimum-wage job is not enough to support oneself, much less a family.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Department of Urban Studies and Planning calculates a “living wage” for each state and the District of Columbia that takes into account the costs in each area. We used MIT’s recently updated Living Wage Calculator for a state-by-state look at what it takes in 2025 to earn enough for your family to enjoy a basic standard of living.

This ranking starts where the living wage is the highest.

51. Hawaii

Hawaii’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $29.92 per hour
One working adult and one child: $51.77 per hour
Two working adults: $20.64 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $28.66 per hour (per adult)

50. Massachusetts

Massachusetts’ living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $28.88 per hour
One working adult and one child: $55.15 per hour
Two working adults: $19.38 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $30.01 per hour (per adult)

49. California

California’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $28.72 per hour
One working adult and one child: $50.83 per hour
Two working adults: $19.27 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $27.84 per hour (per adult)

48. New York

New York’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $27.57 per hour
One working adult and one child: $48.87 per hour
Two working adults: $18.77 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $26.77 per hour (per adult)

47. Washington

Washington’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $26.36 per hour
One working adult and one child: $47.96 per hour
Two working adults: $17.96 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $26.38 per hour (per adult)

46. New Jersey

New Jersey’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $26.20 per hour
One working adult and one child: $48.04 per hour
Two working adults: $18.12 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $26.55 per hour (per adult)

45. Maryland

Maryland’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $26.17 per hour
One working adult and one child: $45.34 per hour
Two working adults: $17.59 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $25.11 per hour (per adult)

44. District of Columbia

The District of Columbia’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $25.98 per hour
One working adult and one child: $51.68 per hour
Two working adults: $17.01 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $27.83 per hour (per adult)

43. Virginia

Virginia’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $25.65 per hour
One working adult and one child: $42.46 per hour
Two working adults: $16.79 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $23.60 per hour (per adult)

42. Colorado

Colorado’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $25.47 per hour
One working adult and one child: $47.11 per hour
Two working adults: $17.58 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $25.99 per hour (per adult)

41. Connecticut

Connecticut’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $25.28 per hour
One working adult and one child: $50.45 per hour
Two working adults: $17.69 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $27.74 per hour (per adult)

40. Oregon

Oregon’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $25.16 per hour
One working adult and one child: $45.17 per hour
Two working adults: $17.28 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $25.24 per hour (per adult)

39. New Hampshire

New Hampshire’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $24.78 per hour
One working adult and one child: $44.93 per hour
Two working adults: $17.22 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $25.09 per hour (per adult)

38. Arizona

Arizona’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $24.42 per hour
One working adult and one child: $41.97 per hour
Two working adults: $17.07 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $23.47 per hour (per adult)

37. Rhode Island

Rhode Island’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $24.36 per hour
One working adult and one child: $44.01 per hour
Two working adults: $16.82 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $24.66 per hour (per adult)

36. Alaska

Alaska’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $24.11 per hour
One working adult and one child: $43.84 per hour
Two working adults: $16.84 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $24.76 per hour (per adult)

35. Vermont

Vermont’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $23.95 per hour
One working adult and one child: $47.29 per hour
Two working adults: $17.06 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $26.26 per hour (per adult)

34. Georgia

Georgia’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $23.94 per hour
One working adult and one child: $37.21 per hour
Two working adults: $16.01 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $21.13 per hour (per adult)

33. Utah

Utah’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $23.91 per hour
One working adult and one child: $40.44 per hour
Two working adults: $16.38 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $22.86 per hour (per adult)

32. Nevada

Nevada’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $23.85 per hour
One working adult and one child: $41.21 per hour
Two working adults: $16.69 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $23.21 per hour (per adult)

31. Illinois

Illinois’ living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $23.56 per hour
One working adult and one child: $40.41 per hour
Two working adults: $16.24 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $22.78 per hour (per adult)

30. Delaware

Delaware’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $23.43 per hour
One working adult and one child: $39.20 per hour
Two working adults: $16.14 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $22.04 per hour (per adult)

29. Florida

Florida’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $23.41 per hour
One working adult and one child: $38.72 per hour
Two working adults: $16.03 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $21.81 per hour (per adult)

28. Maine

Maine’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $23.22 per hour
One working adult and one child: $41.17 per hour
Two working adults: $16.30 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $23.25 per hour (per adult)

27. Idaho

Idaho’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $23.18 per hour
One working adult and one child: $39.18 per hour
Two working adults: $16.45 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $22.31 per hour (per adult)

26. Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $22.91 per hour
One working adult and one child: $42.24 per hour
Two working adults: $16.13 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $23.76 per hour (per adult)

25. North Carolina

North Carolina’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $22.54 per hour
One working adult and one child: $37.37 per hour
Two working adults: $15.49 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $21.16 per hour (per adult)

24. Montana

Montana’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $22.32 per hour
One working adult and one child: $40.37 per hour
Two working adults: $15.81 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $22.77 per hour (per adult)

23. South Carolina

South Carolina’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $22.15 per hour
One working adult and one child: $36.09 per hour
Two working adults: $14.88 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $20.48 per hour (per adult)

22. Minnesota

Minnesota’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $22.05 per hour
One working adult and one child: $42.46 per hour
Two working adults: $15.74 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $23.72 per hour (per adult)

21. Tennessee

Tennessee’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $21.99 per hour
One working adult and one child: $35.53 per hour
Two working adults: $15.10 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $20.25 per hour (per adult)

20. Texas

Texas’ living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $21.82 per hour
One working adult and one child: $36.26 per hour
Two working adults: $15.04 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $20.49 per hour (per adult)

19. Wyoming

Wyoming’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $21.14 per hour
One working adult and one child: $35.94 per hour
Two working adults: $15.23 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $20.70 per hour (per adult)

18. Kansas

Kansas’ living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $21.06 per hour
One working adult and one child: $34.82 per hour
Two working adults: $14.75 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $19.98 per hour (per adult)

17. New Mexico

New Mexico’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $21.01 per hour
One working adult and one child: $37.80 per hour
Two working adults: $15.37 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $21.43 per hour (per adult)

16. Nebraska

Nebraska’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $20.99 per hour
One working adult and one child: $36.66 per hour
Two working adults: $14.71 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $20.89 per hour (per adult)

15. Michigan

Michigan’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $20.97 per hour
One working adult and one child: $35.97 per hour
Two working adults: $14.92 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $20.59 per hour (per adult)

14. Wisconsin

Wisconsin’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $20.96 per hour
One working adult and one child: $37.76 per hour
Two working adults: $14.60 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $21.32 per hour (per adult)

13. Iowa

Iowa’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $20.89 per hour
One working adult and one child: $34.79 per hour
Two working adults: $14.65 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $19.98 per hour (per adult)

12. Missouri

Missouri’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $20.87 per hour
One working adult and one child: $37.08 per hour
Two working adults: $14.80 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $21.06 per hour (per adult)

11. Indiana

Indiana’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $20.81 per hour
One working adult and one child: $37.96 per hour
Two working adults: $14.82 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $21.53 per hour (per adult)

10. Mississippi

Mississippi’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $20.75 per hour
One working adult and one child: $32.62 per hour
Two working adults: $14.14 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $18.75 per hour (per adult)

9. Louisiana

Louisiana’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $20.51 per hour
One working adult and one child: $34.93 per hour
Two working adults: $14.67 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $19.91 per hour (per adult)

8. Alabama

Alabama’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $20.50 per hour
One working adult and one child: $33.82 per hour
Two working adults: $14.56 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $19.50 per hour (per adult)

7. Ohio

Ohio’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $20.38 per hour
One working adult and one child: $37.36 per hour
Two working adults: $14.54 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $21.20 per hour (per adult)

6. Oklahoma

Oklahoma’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $20.26 per hour
One working adult and one child: $35.41 per hour
Two working adults: $14.19 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $20.25 per hour (per adult)

5. Kentucky

Kentucky’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $20.09 per hour
One working adult and one child: $33.39 per hour
Two working adults: $14.17 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $19.16 per hour (per adult)

4. North Dakota

North Dakota’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $19.78 per hour
One working adult and one child: $35.17 per hour
Two working adults: $14.20 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $20.15 per hour (per adult)

3. South Dakota

South Dakota’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $19.75 per hour
One working adult and one child: $34.08 per hour
Two working adults: $14.59 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $19.68 per hour (per adult)

2. Arkansas

Arkansas’ living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $19.49 per hour
One working adult and one child: $33.01 per hour
Two working adults: $13.59 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $18.84 per hour (per adult)

1. West Virginia

West Virginia’s living wage for a household with:

One working adult: $19.43 per hour
One working adult and one child: $33.01 per hour
Two working adults: $13.60 per hour (per adult)
Two working adults and one child: $18.99 per hour (per adult)