As households across the United States navigate persistent inflation and rising living expenses, a new financial analysis provides a state-by-state breakdown of the annual income required to retire comfortably. The study, conducted by MoneyLion using data from the MIT Living Wage Calculator, estimates that comfortable retirement thresholds for a single adult without children span from a low of $40,627 in West Virginia to a high of $64,504 in Hawaii.
Retirees nationwide typically rely on a diverse mix of income streams to cover ongoing costs, including personal savings vehicles like 401(k) plans and individual retirement accounts (IRAs), as well as annuities, pension plans, and Social Security benefits. According to data reported by the Social Security Administration in January 2026, the monthly average Social Security benefit sits at $2,071, translating to an average annual benefit of $24,852.
The analysis outlines significant geographic disparities in the cost of post-work life. Hawaii tops the nation with an estimated requirement of $64,504, closely followed by Massachusetts at $63,610, California at $63,402, and New York at $62,167. Conversely, states with the lowest estimated income thresholds include West Virginia at $40,627, Arkansas at $41,615, Kentucky at $42,040, and Louisiana at $42,378.
Middle-tier states demonstrate varied regional costs. For instance, the required annual income reaches $51,965 in Alaska, $50,900 in Arizona, $54,071 in Colorado, $54,178 in Connecticut, $49,484 in Delaware, $50,117 in Florida, $50,351 in Georgia, $49,091 in Idaho, $50,796 in Illinois, $45,326 in Indiana, $44,273 in Iowa, $44,994 in Kansas, $51,465 in Maine, and $53,949 in Maryland.
Additional figures across the country include $45,914 in Michigan, $48,475 in Minnesota, $43,025 in Mississippi, $44,244 in Missouri, $50,409 in Montana, $45,241 in Nebraska, $50,259 in Nevada, $53,604 in New Hampshire, $56,884 in New Jersey, $45,607 in New Mexico, $46,745 in North Carolina, and $42,874 in North Dakota.
Rounding out the remaining states, the analysis lists $43,674 for Ohio, $43,119 for Oklahoma, $55,047 for Oregon, $48,515 for Pennsylvania, $52,024 for Rhode Island, $46,469 for South Carolina, $42,706 for South Dakota, $44,959 for Tennessee, $45,290 for Texas, $51,407 for Utah, $51,831 for Vermont, $53,505 for Virginia, $55,316 for Washington, $45,504 for Wisconsin, and $44,614 for Wyoming.
