Low Cost-of-Living States Offer Comfortable Lifestyle on Modest Salaries

The most expensive states to live in the U.S. have average housing costs that require a $100k+ salary, which only 18% of Americans earn.

More affordable options exist like Mississippi where the average living wage is under $46k per year.

Other very affordable states include Oklahoma, Alabama, Arkansas, and Kansas with required wages under $48k.

Jobs paying around $60k like teachers, social workers, nurses can still allow comfortable living in low cost-of-living states.

Higher paying jobs like physicians ($189k average) allow for ample savings in affordable states vs expensive ones like Hawaii.