Living Wage Gap by State
Every state in the U.S. has a gap between what workers earn and what it actually costs to live. The redder the state, the bigger the gap.
AK
ME
WI
VT
NH
WA
ID
MT
ND
MN
IL
MI
NY
MA
CT
OR
NV
WY
SD
IA
IN
OH
PA
NJ
RI
CA
UT
CO
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DC
AZ
NM
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
DE
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
FL
HI
TX
Small gapLarge gap
Click any state for details. Showing: Median Wage vs Living Wage gap ($/hr).
Avg Median Gap
$-0.59/hr
Avg Min Wage Shortfall
$12.28/hr
Worst State
Hawaii
$5.40/hr gap
States Below Living Wage
19 / 50 states + DC
Data Sources
- Minimum Wage: Federal and State minimum wage rates, 2026
- Median Wage: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2024)
- Living Wage: MIT Living Wage Calculator, 1 adult / 0 children (Feb 2026 update)
- Annual shortfall assumes 2,080 working hours per year (40 hrs/week x 52 weeks)