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Report: Here's how much you need to make a year to live 'comfortably' in Florida

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Updated  June 17, 2025 6:43pm EDT
Florida
FOX 35 Orlando

The Brief

    • Single Americans needs to make at least $84,000 to "live comfortably" in the United States, according to a SmartAsset study.
    • Florida ranked No. 22 on the list, requiring Floridians to make at least $97,000 a year.
    • Hawaii, Massachusetts, and California require the highest salaries. South Dakota, Arkansas, and West Virginia require the lowest of the study.

FLORIDA - How much do you need to make per year to live "comfortably" in the United States? What about Florida?

SmartAsset recently published a new study – Here’s the Salary It Takes to Live Comfortably in Each U.S. State – looking at what someone needs to earn in every state to live "comfortably." The study defines "comfortably" as being able to follow the 50/30/20 budget rule – 50% of salary goes to necessities, 30% to discretionary, and 20% to retirement savings or paying down debt. 

According to the study, single Americans need to earn at least $84,000 per year. However, for at least 15 states, a salary of $100,000 is required, the study said.

Hawaii, Massachusetts, and California lead with the highest salary requirements. South Dakota, Arkansas, and West Virginia require the lowest salaries.

How much do you need to earn in Florida?

What we know:

Florida, St Cloud, Harmony, planned community, new single family home available sign. (Photo by: Jeff Greenberg/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Florida ranked #22 in SmartAsset's study.

According to the results, individuals need to earn at least $97,386 to live comfortably in the Sunshine State. For a family of four, the household income needs to be at least $217,651.

That's about $5,000 more than last year for single people and $9,000 for families.

View the full list below. 

State-by-State: Here's how much you need to make

5 states that require the highest salary for single people: Study

According to the study, these states require the highest salaries for a single person:

  • Hawaii: $124,467
  • Massachusetts: $120,141
  • California: $119,475
  • New York: $114,691
  • Washington: $109,658

5 states that require the lowest salary for single people: Study

According to the study, these states require the lowest salaries for a single person:

  • Kentucky: $83,574
  • North Dakota: $82,285
  • South Dakota: $82,160
  • Arkansas: $81,078
  • West Virginia: $80,829

How was the study conducted?

SmartAsset used the MIT Living Wage Calculator to determine the "basic cost" of living for a single person with no kids. That included housing, food, transportation, income taxes, and other items. The study then used those numbers against the 50/30/20 rules.

The idea is that 50% of ones budget goes towards necessities, 30% on discretionary and wants, and 20% on savings or debt payments.

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The Source: Smart Asset published their latest study on June 4, 2025. The data and results from that study were used in the article above.

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