How much do you need to make in Kansas to ‘live comfortably?’ What one analysis says
A single adult in Kansas needs to make more than twice the median per capita income to “live comfortably” in 2025, according to a recent report from finance website SmartAsset.
The report used data from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Living Wage Calculator, and considered a budget with 50% of income going to necessities, 30% for discretionary spending and 20% for long-term goals such as retirement or debt repayment to evaluate what’s considered “living comfortably.”
SmartAsset defines living comfortably as “being able to afford hobbies, vacations, retirement savings, education funds, and the occasional emergency – in addition to necessities like housing, groceries, transportation and medical expenses.”
Families need to see income increase each year to maintain the same lifestyle under inflation. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the overall 12-month inflation rate is 2.7% as of June, with steeper increases for some categories, such as food and shelter.
Although the statewide median per capita income of $41,087 is not enough to “live comfortably” under SmartAsset’s definition, some Kansas counties have much higher typical salaries. Johnson, Miami, Leavenworth, Pottawatomie and Butler counties are the Sunflower State’s wealthiest, according to another report from SmartAsset.
Conversely, the 10 poorest counties in Kansas have significantly lower typical incomes. Jewell County was named the poorest in Kansas, according to SmartAsset, with a median income of $47,109 and a poverty rate of 12.1%.
Here’s what it takes to live comfortably in Kansas, according to the finance website.
What’s a comfortable income in Kansas?
A single adult in Kansas needs to make $87,610 per year to live comfortably, SmartAsset reports, while a family of four would need an income of $200,678. Kansas was ranked 33rd for the highest income needed for an individual, and 42nd for the income needed for a family.
Since the finance website calculated the wage needed to “live comfortably,” it’s quite a bit higher than what MIT calculates as the state’s “living wage,” or just enough to cover essentials such as food, housing, medical care, transportation and more. MIT reports a living wage for an individual in Kansas is $43,804.80.
Here’s how the top 20 states for the highest income needed for an individual compared:
Hawaii: $124,467 annual income for an individual to live comfortably
Massachusetts: $120,141
California: $119,475
New York: $114,691
Washington: $109,658
New Jersey: $108,992
Maryland: $108,867
Virginia: $106,704
Colorado: $105,955
Connecticut: $105,165
Oregon: $104,666
New Hampshire: $103,085
Arizona: $101,587
Rhode Island: $101,338
Alaska: $100,298
Vermont: $99,632
Georgia: $99,590
Utah: $99,466
Nevada: $99,216
Illinois: $98,010
