Single Americans Earning the Average Salary Don't Get to "Live Comfortably" in the USA
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The median annual wage for individuals was just below $62,000 at the end of 2024, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But it takes a salary of at least $80,829 for a single adult to live comfortably in West Virginia, the most affordable state, according to a recent SmartAsset study.
There is a framework referenced in the article for what "living comfortably" means.
And there is a list of salaries thought to be required for a single adult to be able to "live comfortably" for each of the states.
I suspect they don't take "sharing an apartment with a roommate" or "living with your parents/siblings" into account.
Not sure if you folks see young adults (say, after leaving school but before getting married) "sharing an apartment" these days. I thought that used to be common back when I was a "young adult."
