MERIDIAN, Miss. (Queen City Newsfeed) – It would take $86,070 a year for one adult to live comfortably in Mississippi, according to a recent national study. For a family of four, the study puts that number at $187,533.
Those numbers come from SmartAsset, a personal finance website. They may sound high. However, the same study ranks Mississippi as the lowest state in the nation for a family of four.
How Mississippi compares
The family number covers a home with two working adults and two children. Mississippi came in lowest at $187,533. Massachusetts came in highest at $329,555. Also, a family of four needs at least $200,000 in 40 states.
The picture looks a little different for one adult. West Virginia is the lowest at $81,245, and Hawaii is the highest at $129,002. Mississippi ranks seventh lowest.
Here is how our neighbors compare for one adult:
- Arkansas: $83,242
- Louisiana: $84,739
- Mississippi: $86,070
- Alabama: $87,610
- Tennessee: $89,898
Mississippi also saw a small drop. The single adult number fell 0.3% from 2025. Only five other states saw a drop. They are Tennessee, Maryland, Louisiana, North Carolina and Texas. Meanwhile, Montana had the biggest jump at 8.6%.
How the study got its numbers
SmartAsset started with the MIT Living Wage Calculator. That tool estimates what a full time worker must earn to cover basic needs. It counts costs like food, housing, child care, health care, transportation and taxes. However, it leaves out savings and restaurant meals.
In Mississippi, the calculator says one adult needs $43,025 a year, or $20.69 an hour. For two working adults with two children, it says the household needs $93,750. That comes to $22.54 an hour for each adult.
After that, SmartAsset used a budget plan called the 50/30/20 rule. Under that plan, half of your income goes to needs like housing and utilities. Then 30% goes to things you want, and 20% goes to savings.
So the study treats the living wage as only half of a comfortable budget. That is why its numbers are about double the MIT numbers. All of the figures are yearly income before taxes.
What it means for Lauderdale and Neshoba counties
SmartAsset looked at states, not counties. However, the MIT calculator does show county numbers, and costs here run a little under the state figure.
In Lauderdale County, MIT says one adult needs $40,590 a year. A family of four needs $86,827. In Neshoba County, one adult needs $41,692, and a family of four needs $89,326.
If you double those numbers the way SmartAsset did, you get a rough idea of a comfortable income here. Queen City Newsfeed did that math. It comes to about $81,000 for one adult in Lauderdale County and about $174,000 for a family. In Neshoba County, it comes to about $83,000 for one adult and about $179,000 for a family.
What to keep in mind
These numbers show a goal, not what most people earn. For example, the Census Bureau puts the median household income in Mississippi at $56,447. That means half of all households make more, and half make less.
Also, the 50/30/20 rule is not a strict law. Britannica calls it a general guideline. It says knowing your own budget matters more than hitting those exact numbers.
Where to find help
If you are having trouble paying bills, help may be close by. Dial 211 to reach a free, confidential helpline run by United Way. It can point you to local help with food, rent and utilities.
