In today’s economy, earning a “good salary” isn’t enough. A recent SmartAsset study reveals a sobering truth: even in the most affordable U.S. states, a single adult needs at least $80,000 per year to live comfortably. In the most expensive ones, that figure exceeds $120,000 — far beyond the $62,000 median individual income reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics at the end of 2024.