This map shows how much a single parent needs to earn to get by in every US state - 8 minutes read


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Depending on where you live in the United States, the amount you need to make to support a family can vary by a lot. The burden is even greater for single parents.

While a single parent with one child can manage on just over $45,000 a year in Alabama, for example, it takes at least $62,000 a year to make ends meet in California. If the family has two children, those numbers rise to $56,000 and $74,922, respectively.

That's according to updated data from MIT's living wage calculator, which determines the minimum amount necessary to meet basic needs without dipping into poverty or relying on outside help. The model takes into account factors such as food, housing, child care and health insurance, in addition to other regular expenses, and doesn't include conveniences or luxuries such as restaurant meals, vacations or money left over for investments.

Here's a closer look at what a living wage would be, before taxes, for single parents in every U.S. state.

Alabama

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $45,875
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $56,363
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $71,463

Birmingham, Alabama.

Sean Pavorie | Getty Images

Alaska

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $57,185
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $68,575
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $88,183

Arizona

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $51,089
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $62,903
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $81,797

Arkansas

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $45,182
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $53,376
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $66,292

California

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $62,871
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $74,922
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $97,407

Colorado

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $57,832
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $67,230
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $85,180

Denver, Colorado

Bridget Calip | Getty Images

Connecticut

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $59,759
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $68,548
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $83,180

Delaware

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $54,155
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $62,074
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $76,152

Florida

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $52,517
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $60,757
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $75,320

Georgia

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $50,215
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $57,630
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $70,304

Hawaii

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $57,142
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $62,889
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $81,438

Waikiki, Hawaii.

M. Swiet Productions | Getty Images

Idaho

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $49,394
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $59,635
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $75,678

Illinois

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $54,640
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $64,088
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $78,847

Indiana

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $47,414
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $57,419
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $71,989

Iowa

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $48,571
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $56,255
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $68,865

Kansas

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $48,359
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $55,505
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $67,736

Massachusetts Street and University of Kansas main campus, in downtown Lawrence, Kansas.

Ian Ballinger — Own Work/Wikimedia Commons

Kentucky

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $47,184
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $58,448
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $74,553

Louisiana

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $48,831
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $56,109
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $68,142

Maine

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $50,655
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $60,341
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $75,377

Maryland

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $61,450
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $70,523
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $87,151

Massachusetts

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $61,693
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $70,011
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $84,521

Boston, Massachusetts

Twenty20

Michigan

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $48,454
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $59,223
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $75,096

Minnesota

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $53,348
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $63,179
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $79,567

Mississippi

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $43,828
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $49,401
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $59,466

Missouri

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $48,755
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $57,224
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $70,763

Montana

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $51,194
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $63,113
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $80,868

Butte, Montana

powerofforever | Getty Images

Nebraska

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $49,399
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $58,521
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $72,815

Nevada

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $51,360
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $61,465
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $78,520

New Hampshire

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $53,477
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $61,536
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $75,568

New Jersey

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $59,525
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $70,215
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $87,882

New Mexico

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $51,099
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $60,936
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $76,509

Albuquerque International Balloon Festival in Albuquerque, New Mexico

sjlayne | E+ | Getty Images

New York

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $62,471
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $82,342
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $109,244

North Carolina

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $49,688
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $57,952
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $71,427

North Dakota

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $48,414
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $57,155
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $71,754

Ohio

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $47,208
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $56,154
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $69,783

Oklahoma

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $48,085
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $58,869
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $74,712

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Davel5957 | E+ | Getty Images

Oregon

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $53,931
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $66,193
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $86,817

Pennsylvania

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $49,200
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $60,095
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $75,700

Rhode Island

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $54,384
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $64,568
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $79,727

South Carolina

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $47,249
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $54,277
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $66,409

South Dakota

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $45,513
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $54,631
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $68,361

A woman stands in front of Mount Rushmore National Memorial, in South Dakota, while carrying her son.

Steve Glass | Aurora Open | Getty Images

Tennessee

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $45,640
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $52,900
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $64,834

Texas

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $48,708
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $56,201
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $69,408

Utah

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $49,494
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $61,357
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $79,837

Vermont

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $53,878
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $62,928
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $78,145

Virginia

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $57,889
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $66,691
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $82,494

Richmond, Virginia

Traveler1116 | E+ | Getty Images

Washington

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $57,070
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $67,001
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $86,084

West Virginia

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $45,342
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $54,734
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $68,289

Wisconsin

  • Total required income before taxes with one child: $51,322
  • Total required income before taxes with two children: $61,010
  • Total required income before taxes with three children: $75,730

Wyoming

This map shows the minimum amount necessary to meet basic needs for a single parent with one child without relying on outside help, including factors such as housing, food, child care and health insurance, in addition to other regular costs. All data from MIT's Living Wage calculator.

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