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    Home » 15 States With High Cost of Living To Be Avoided if You Are Single in the United States
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    15 States With High Cost of Living To Be Avoided if You Are Single in the United States

    DunniBy DunniJuly 15, 20245 Mins Read
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    Happy woman drinking coffee in the early morning
    Source: Q000024/pxhere
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    It is no longer news that living alone can be very challenging in the United States as you have to shoulder some heavy bills alone. We can agree that the expense of living alone is peculiar to singles in every state.

    Digital art of a person living alone
    Source: Lazy Owl/YouTube

    However, some states will make folks regret being single more than others, and we are about to itemize the 15 most expensive for singles. 

    Moving Soon? Pause Before Making that Leap  

    As a single person about to embark on an inter-state migration, we are looking at some states that may be advisable to keep off your list of prospects if it can be helped.  

    A lady sitting at the edge of a cliff
    Source: Akash Karnwal/LinkedIn

    The US Bureau reports that single people comprise 46% of the country’s population. This fragment consists of widowed, divorced, and unmarried Americans over 18. 

    Massachusetts Wears the Crown of the Most Expensive State for Singles  

    According to an analysis by SmartAsset, a single person would need a minimum annual income of $60,000 to live in Massachusetts. This figure was arrived at by using publicly available data to compare the cost of obtaining necessities of life in each state of the US. 

    The Town Hall in Stow, Massachusetts
    Source: Tim Pierce/Wikimedia Commons

    So, that figure covers taxes, healthcare, transportation, housing, and other necessary expenses incurred by a single person.

    ALSO READ: In the Buildup to Elections in November, A Handful of America’s Super Wealthy Just Offloaded $11 Billion Worth of Stocks

    Housing, Tax, Food; the Income Guzzlers 

    As we pointed out earlier, each of those expenses varies in cost from state to state. For example, the rent for an average-sized condo in California significantly varies from one with similar amenities in Arkansas.  

    Necessities of life
    Source: Poverty Center/Columbia University

    Other items that make the cost of living vary significantly per state are food and taxes. So far, financial analysts have found that the biggest gap in these expenses for single people exists between Massachusetts and West Virginia. 

    West Virginia Could Be a Safe Haven for Single People  

    In West Virginia, a single person can survive on an annual income of $39,387. However, that amount climbs to $58,010 for singles living in Massachusetts. 

    Downtown Parkersburg, West Virginia, along the Ohio River
    Source: Tim Kiser/Wikimedia Commons

    If those figures are narrowed down to hourly rates, based on a 40-hour week, a single person needs $19 and $28 to get by in West Virginia and Massachusetts, respectively. 

    The 15 Most Expensive States for Singles  

    Here is the list of the 15 most expensive states for single people, in descending order: Massachusets ($58,010); Hawaii ($56,840); California ($56,824); New York ($55,877); Washington ($53,242); Colorado ($51,643); New Jersey ($51,504)…  

    Map of the US showing the cheapest states to live in
    Source: Movoto/Pinterest

    Maryland ($51,460); Oregon ($50,553); Rhode Island ($50,418); Connecticut ($50,194); Virginia ($49,972); New Hampshire ($49,045); Arizona ($48,676) and Georgia ($48,447).   

    Housing Is the Highest Cost, With the Highest Interstate Variance

    Housing costs are about the most important and expensive metric for collating the list of the most expensive states to live in as a single person.   

    Affordable housing in Prospect Heights
    Source: Billie Grace Ward/Wikimedia Commons

    A quick comparison reveals that the average cost of housing in the 15 most expensive states is almost 200% of the average in the 15 least expensive states.

    The More Cities, the Higher the Cost of Living    

    The reason for high housing costs in some states is not far-fetched. Some of these states have large cities that host large industrial communes, like Silicon Valley. 

    Aerial view of tech cluster in Silicon Valley
    Source: Patrick Nouhailler/Wikimedia Commons

    There is a high demand for workers in these large cities, which drives the demand for real estate up, driving its pricing through the roof. Like housing, other major income-eaters, like taxes and healthcare, trail behind inexpensiveness. 

    A Quick Disclaimer 

    It is important to note that the figures cited so far cover just the necessities. So, singles with special indulgencies that cost a couple of bucks can expect the annual costs to increase significantly. 

    Lady sitting in an exquisite restaurant
    Source: pxhere

    So, for singles with a knack for weekly nights out and investment savings, the annual living costs will be greater.  

    ALSO READ: How and When to Start Giving Kids Allowance

    Singles Are Not Better Off in States With Relatively Higher Minimum Wage

    Unfortunately, the minimum wage is not sufficient for working single people in any US state. In most states, the very basic expenses far outweigh the hourly minimum wage workers receive.  

    Digital graphics of someone living alone
    Source: Sɨℓνεя Sɦɨɳε/Flickr

     

    Even in states like California, which recently increased its hourly minimum wage to $20, MIT’s Living Wage calculator suggests that even that is not enough for the $27.32 hourly pay needed to sustain workers’ basic expenses.  

    A Single New Yorker Testifies  

    According to a single man, Kaishon Holloway, who resides in New York City, most of his single friends are always anxious about keeping up with their living expenses.  

    Second day alone at The Office
    Source: soupstance/Flickr

    It is a given that single people in the US incur what has been tagged the “singles tax.” This is the extra cost that a single person would have to cough up, unlike someone living with another person or significant other, by footing all the major bills alone.

    Financial Experts Have Got Some Advice    

    Kamila Elliott, a certified financial planner, suggests toning down the impact of housing costs on income by boarding or co-renting with a friend. In addition, budgeting and monitoring cash flow in and out of your kitty is equally important.

    Digital graphics of someone living alone
    Source: Sɨℓνεя Sɦɨɳε/Flickr

    Overall, Elliott further reiterates cohabitation by saying, “Think about yourself integrating into a community and identifying ways to help minimize some of your day-to-day expenses.”

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