New York State cost of living requires high income to live comfortably

New data from the MIT Living Wage Calculator indicates that the income required to live in New York State varies significantly across its 11 official tourism and economic development regions.

For a single adult with no children working a standard full-time job, the amount needed to ‘get by’—covering essentials such as rent, food, healthcare, and taxes—depends on the specific location. To ‘live comfortably,’ which follows a 50/30/20 budget formula of necessities, wants, and savings, a single person in most parts of the state, including the Hudson Valley, must earn more than $100,000 annually.