Relying on one income while raising a child may be especially difficult in places like Hawaiʻi and California, which remain among the most expensive states for families trying to make the arrangement work.
Here's what to know
According to the New York Post, the two states landed at the bottom of a nationwide measure of single-income affordability from financial technology company SmartAsset.
SmartAsset's analysis found that a California household with one employed adult, one stay-at-home partner, and one child would need at least $101,213 in annual income.
For Hawaiʻi, the fintech company put the required income at $106,496 for a household with one employed parent, one stay-at-home parent, and one child.
Those were the only two states where the needed salary topped $100,000. SmartAsset placed New York fourth at $94,827 and put Washington and Oregon in the top 10, at $90,106 and $88,899, respectively.
SmartAsset identified Arkansas as the cheapest state for a family of three living on one paycheck, with a required annual income of $68,869.
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The firm said its single-income figure assumes no paid childcare costs.
More background
Nationwide, the cost of raising one child from birth through age 18 has climbed to about $300,000, according to a LendingTree analysis cited by the New York Post. That represents nearly a 30% increase over the past three years.
A separate SmartAsset analysis also highlighted how expensive California can be in general. It found that a family of four would need $408,000 a year to live comfortably in San Francisco, the highest figure in the country. San Jose was next at $403,000, while Oakland ranked third at $371,000.
Where can I learn more?
The stories below show how utility bills, housing costs, grocery prices, and lost wages can put pressure on family budgets:
• In Chicago, surveyed parents said they struggle to pay winter heating bills.
• In Springfield, families are moving into a tiny home community with rents under $500.
• Across the U.S., extreme heat has already shrunk salaries by 12% for workers.
Essentials can add up fast, and families often feel the squeeze even outside of big, long-term decisions about work and child care. For Hawaiians and Californians planning family budgets, these wider economic pressures help explain why SmartAsset's income threshold is so steep.
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