The Best Places To Live On a $50,000 Salary in Every State
If you earn $50,000 a year in San Francisco or New York City, you undoubtedly will need a roommate — or three — to make ends meet. But in many cities in the United States, $50,000 a year is plenty to live on.
From Alabama to Wyoming: The Cost of Living Across America
Learn More: The Cost To Own a 3-Bedroom Home in Every State
So what sort of enclaves against high costs are out there? GOBankingRates compiled the places in each state that are best suited to someone earning $50,000 a year — with a cost of living that will allow them to save for the future as well as cover costs in the present. The study identified towns with at least 5,000 households and a median income between $45,000 and $50,000 a year using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, then looked at the basic cost of living as sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The city with the most left over from $50,000 after covering expenses in each state was selected. For Alaska, Hawaii, Maryland and North Dakota, income restrictions were relaxed.
Every state in the U.S. has options on where you can live on less than $50,000.
Take a look and see where you could live in your area to stretch your salary that much further.
Last updated: June 21, 2021
Montgomery, Alabama
Median income: $48,011
Total annual necessities: $20,775
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $29,225
Check Out: How Far a $100K Salary Goes in America's 50 Largest Cities
Fairbanks, Alaska
Median income: $62,602
Total annual necessities: $30,786
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $19,214
Read: 35 Surprising Cities With Low Costs of Living
Kingman, Arizona
Median income: $49,029
Total annual necessities: $23,723
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $26,277
Find Out: 50 Cities Where It’s Cheaper To Buy a Home Than Rent
Paragould, Arkansas
Median income: $45,841
Total annual necessities: $20,140
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $29,860
Pictured: St. Francis River in Arkansas
Whoa: The Cost To Own a 3-Bedroom Home in Every State
El Centro, California
Median income: $47,864
Total annual necessities: $25,803
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $24,197
Sterling, Colorado
Median income: $45,647
Total annual necessities: $22,545
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $27,455
New London, Connecticut
Median income: $46,298
Total annual necessities: $24,551
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $25,449
Wilmington, Delaware
Median income: $45,032
Total annual necessities: $24,426
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $25,574
Myrtle Grove, Florida
Median income: $47,941
Total annual necessities: $22,900
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $27,100
Columbus, Georgia
Median income: $46,408
Total annual necessities: $20,439
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $29,561
Important: Best Places in Every State To Live On a Fixed Income
Hilo, Hawaii
Median income: $63,283
Total annual necessities: $37,648
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $12,352
Pocatello, Idaho
Median income: $46,617
Total annual necessities: $23,443
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $26,557
Lincoln, Illinois
Median income: $48,931
Total annual necessities: $19,515
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $30,485
Kokomo, Indiana
Median income: $45,797
Total annual necessities: $19,744
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $30,256
Burlington, Iowa
Median income: $47,540
Total annual necessities: $20,314
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $29,686
Pictured: Des Moines, Iowa
Great Bend, Kansas
Median income: $47,574
Total annual necessities: $20,053
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $29,947
Pictured: Wichita, Kansas
Radcliff, Kentucky
Median income: $46,105
Total annual necessities: $21,461
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $28,539
Pineville, Louisiana
Median income: $45,088
Total annual necessities: $22,899
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $27,101
Pictured: Louisville, Kentucky
Bangor, Maine
Median income: $46,625
Total annual necessities: $23,445
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $26,555
Baltimore
Median income: $50,379
Total annual necessities: $23,787
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $26,213
Gardner, Massachusetts
Median income: $49,679
Total annual necessities: $25,506
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $24,494
Pictured: Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Owosso, Michigan
Median income: $45,203
Total annual necessities: $20,829
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $29,171
Pictured: Taylor, Michigan
Albert Lea, Minnesota
Median income: $47,508
Total annual necessities: $19,432
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $30,568
Pictured: Austin, Minnesota
Horn Lake, Mississippi
Median income: $48,622
Total annual necessities: $21,827
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $28,173
Pictured: Tupelo, Mississippi
St. Ann, Missouri
Median income: $47,727
Total annual necessities: $20,234
Salary left over after annual necessities: $29,766
Pictured: St. Louis, Missouri
Butte-Silver Bow, Montana
Median income: $45,797
Total annual necessities: $22,043
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $27,957
Pictured: Great Falls, Montana
Hastings, Nebraska
Median income: $48,644
Total annual necessities: $22,502
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $27,498
Pahrump, Nevada
Median income: $47,535
Total annual necessities: $25,182
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $24,818
Claremont, New Hampshire
Median income: $47,649
Total annual necessities: $22,579
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $27,421
Lindenwold, New Jersey
Median income: $45,789
Total annual necessities: $22,719
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $27,281
Pictured: Millville, New Jersey
Good To Know: How Much You Need To Live Comfortably in 50 Major US Cities
Gallup, New Mexico
Median income: $48,065
Total annual necessities: $20,779
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $29,221
Batavia, New York
Median income: $47,712
Total annual necessities: $21,256
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $28,744
Pictured: Rochester, New York
Fayetteville, North Carolina
Median income: $45,024
Total annual necessities: $21,940
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $28,060
Jamestown, North Dakota
Median income: $51,789
Total annual necessities: $22,322
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $27,678
Defiance, Ohio
Median income: $49,628
Total annual necessities: $19,733
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $30,267
Pictured: Cleveland, Ohio
Altus, Oklahoma
Median income: $47,691
Total annual necessities: $18,762
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $31,238
Pictured: Lawton, Oklahoma
Coos Bay, Oregon
Median income: $48,919
Total annual necessities: $23,026
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $26,974
Munhall, Pennsylvania
Median income: $47,649
Total annual necessities: $21,296
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $28,704
Pictured: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Providence, Rhode Island
Median income: $45,610
Total annual necessities: $27,843
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $22,157
Florence, South Carolina
Median income: $49,525
Total annual necessities: $22,949
Salary left over after annual necessities: $27,051
Pictured: Downtown Columbia, South Carolina
Huron, South Dakota
Median income: $46,106
Total annual necessities: $19,997
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $30,003
East Ridge, Tennessee
Median income: $47,203
Total annual necessities: $22,364
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $27,636
Pictured: Chattanooga, Tennessee
Plainview, Texas
Median income: $48,430
Total annual necessities: $19,226
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $30,774
Pictured: Lubbock, Texas
Cedar City, Utah
Median income: $48,346
Total annual necessities: $25,777
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $24,223
Pictured: Ogden, Utah
Rutland, Vermont
Median income: $48,212
Total annual necessities: $23,359
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $26,641
Pictured: Burlington, Vermont
Highland Springs, Virginia
Median income: $48,886
Total annual necessities: $23,001
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $26,999
Pictured: Richmond, Virginia
Port Angeles, Washington
Median income: $47,256
Total annual necessities: $25,981
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $24,019
Weirton, West Virginia
Median income: $49,496
Total annual necessities: $20,145
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $29,855
Two Rivers, Wisconsin
Median income: $47,228
Total annual necessities: $19,661
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $30,339
Pictured: Green Bay, Wisconsin
Laramie, Wyoming
Median income: $46,117
Total annual necessities: $27,966
Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $22,034
More From GOBankingRates
Joel Anderson contributed to the reporting for this article.
Photo disclaimer: Photos are for illustrative purposes only. As a result, some of the images may not reflect the exact towns listed.
Methodology: GOBankingRates determined the best places to live on a $50,000 salary in each state by analyzing cities along these criteria: (1) a minimum of 5,000 households, sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2019 American Community Survey, (2) a median household income between $45,000 to $50,000, sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2019 American Community Survey, (3) itemized cost of living index for groceries, housing, utilities, transportation, healthcare and miscellaneous expenditure, based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2019 Consumer Expenditure Survey (latest full year dataset) by income level ($40,000 - $49,999), which were adjusted to each city's local cost of living, sourced from Sperling's Best Places. In order to qualify as a "best" city, the total cost of living expenditures could not exceed $50,000, and the city with the lowest overall total cost of living expenditures was declared the best. For Alaska, Hawaii, Maryland and North Dakota, income restrictions were relaxed. All data was compiled on and up to date as of April 6, 2021.
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: The Best Places To Live On a $50,000 Salary in Every State
