Story at a glance:
- Massachusetts Institute Of Technology developed a wage calculator to determine how much a single person needs to earn to stay above the poverty line in a given area.
- The wage calculator factors in a number of variables, including the cost of food, health care, housing, transportation and other necessities, as well as personal care, clothing and housekeeping supplies.
- The least expensive state, according to the calculator, is South Dakota, while the most expensive is Hawaii.
Using Massachusetts Institute Of Technology‘s (MIT) Wage Calculator, you can now find out if you meet the required minimum income to stay above the poverty line in your area without help from the government.
The wage calculator factors in the cost of food, health care, housing, transportation and other necessities, including personal care, clothing and housekeeping supplies. It also considers each state’s minimum wage and looks at annual changes in consumer spending patterns, CNBC reported.
The calculator can also estimate cell phone and Wi-Fi expenses, as well as civic engagement expenditures, such as owning pets, belonging to clubs and attending movies or museum excursions.
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According to the calculator, to live in the following states, you need to make between $34,000 and 50,000, before taxes:
Alabama: to live here, your annual income has to be at least $28,652, including an estimated $7,357 for housing and $3,177 for food.
Alaska: income has to be more than $31,333, including an estimated $10,851 for housing and $3,792 for food.
Arizona: income has to be more than $31,077, including an estimated $9,363 for housing and $3,792 for food.
Arkansas: income has to be more than $27,652, including an estimated $6,526 for housing and $3,171 for food.
Connecticut: income has to be more than $34,009, including an estimated $11,583 for housing and $3,792 for food.
Delaware: income has to be more than $31,868, including an estimated $9,765 for housing and $3,177 for food.
Florida: income has to be more than $30,825, including an estimated $10,756 for housing and $3,177 for food.
Georgia: income has to be more than $31,940, including an estimated $9,878 for housing and $3,177 for food.
Idaho: income has to be more than $29,007, including an estimated $7,047 for housing and $3,792 for food.
Illinois: income has to be more than $31,975, including an estimated $9,869 for housing and $3,246 for food.
Indiana:income has to be more than $27,955, including an estimated $7,072 for housing and $3,246 for food.
Iowa: income has to be more than $28,327, including an estimated $6,564 for housing and $3,246 for food.
Kansas : income has to be more than $28,093, including an estimated $7,154 for housing and $3,246 for food.
Louisiana : income has to be more than $29,251, including an estimated $7,981 for housing and $3,177 for food.
Maine: income has to be more than $31,043, including an estimated $8,809 for housing and $3,690 for food.
Michigan: income has to be more than $28,354, including an estimated $7,415 for housing and $3,246 for food.
Minnesota: income has to be more than $30,997, including an estimated $8,608 for housing and $3,246 for food.
Mississippi: income has to be more than $27,936, including an estimated $6,941 for housing and $3,177 for food.
Missouri: income has to be more than $28,535, including an estimated $6,976 for housing and $3,246 for food.
Montana: income has to be more than $29,004, including an estimated $7,209 for housing and $3,792 for food.
Nabraska: income has to be more than $28,234, including an estimated $6,913 for housing and $3,246 for food.
Nevada: income has to be more than $28,442, including an estimated $8,563 for housing and $3,792 for food.
New Hampshire: income has to be more than $30,089, including an estimated $10,155 for housing and $3,690 for food.
New Jersey : income has to be more than $33,696, including an estimated $12,740 for housing and $3,690 for food.
New Mexico : income has to be more than $29,057, including an estimated $7,300 for housing and $3,792 for food.
North Carolina: income has to be more than $30,617, including an estimated $8,865 for housing and $3,177 for food.
North Dakota: income has to be more than $27,211, including an estimated $7,266 for housing and $3,246 for food.
Ohio: income has to be more than $27,369, including an estimated $6,779 for housing and $3,246 for food.
Oklahoma : income has to be more than $28,133, including an estimated $7,109 for housing and $3,177 for food.
Pennsylvania : income has to be more than $27,861, including an estimated $8,443 for housing and $3,690 for food.
Rhode Island: income has to be more than $30,763, including an estimated $9,638 for housing and $3,690 for food.
South Carolina: income has to be more than $30,328, including an estimated $8,336 for housing and $3,177 for food.
South Dakota: income has to be more than $26,225, including an estimated $6,551 for housing and $3,246 for food.
Tennessee: income has to be more than $27,563, including an estimated $7,928 for housing and $3,177 for food.
Texas : income has to be more than $29,134, including an estimated $9,333for housing and $3,177 for food.
Utah: income has to be more than $30,211, including an estimated $8,495 for housing and $3,792 for food.
Vermont: income has to be more than $31,057, including an estimated $10,061 for housing and $3,690 for food.
Virginia: income has to be more than $34,552, including an estimated $12,162 for housing and $3,177 for food.
Washington: income has to be more than $33,982, including an estimated $13,739 for housing and $3,792 for food.
West Virginia: income has to be more than $27,837, including an estimated $7,062 for housing and $3,177 for food.
Wisconsin: income has to be more than $29,160, including an estimated $7,325 for housing and $3,246 for food.
Wyoming: income has to be more than $27,425, including an estimated $7,732 for housing and $3,792 for food.
You would need to make about $50,000 or more to live in these states:
California: your income has to be more than $38,823, including an estimated $15,235 for housing and $3,792 for food.
Hawaii: income has to be more than $40,412, including an estimated $16,337 for housing and $3,792 for food.
Maryland: income has to be more than $35,879, including an estimated $13,193 for housing and $3,177 for food.
Massachusetts: income has to be more than $36,889, including an estimated $15,894 for housing and $3,690 for food.
New York: income has to be more than $38,719, including an estimated $15,084 for housing and $3,690 for food.
Oregon: income has to be more than $35,050, including an estimated $11,314 for housing and $3,792 for food.
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