Georgia ranks among top 20 most expensive states for singles
FOX 5 Atlanta illustration
ATLANTA - Georgia has officially landed in the top 20 most expensive states for single adults trying to live comfortably, according to new research by SmartAsset.
What we know:
The financial analysis shows a single person in Georgia must earn about $99,590 a year to cover everyday expenses, savings, and a few extras like vacations or hobbies — making it the 17th most expensive state for individuals.
Families aren’t much better off. A household of four would need to bring in around $210,829 annually to maintain a comfortable standard of living, placing Georgia at 33rd out of 50 states for family affordability.
SmartAsset used the popular 50/30/20 rule to crunch the numbers, recommending that 50% of income go toward essentials like housing and food, 30% toward personal spending, and 20% toward savings or debt. The study looked at how much pre-tax income it takes to stick to this balance in each state.
While Georgia’s costs are high, it’s far from the most expensive.
By the numbers:
Hawaii tops the list, with single adults there needing over $124,000 to live comfortably. At the opposite end, West Virginia remains the most affordable, with individuals needing about $80,829 annually.
Rising living costs are hitting everyone. Compared to last year, individuals across the U.S. need roughly $5,844 more to maintain the same lifestyle, while families of four need an extra $9,360. These growing figures reflect increases in basic expenses like housing, groceries, healthcare, and transportation.
OTHER RECENT RANKINGS
- Atlanta named 6th worst US city for bed bugs in 2025, Terminix survey finds
- 2 Georgia airports rank among best for finding love, survey says
- Georgia Tech tops list of best colleges in Georgia, Emory and UGA follow
- Stone Mountain Park voted Georgia's most popular park, survey finds
- Costs are rising, but Georgia still cheap place to raise kids, study says
- Georgia drivers some of the best-behaved in the US, study finds
Why you should care:
The new study highlights the financial squeeze many Georgians are feeling as the cost of living continues to climb.
For the full report and state-by-state breakdown, visit SmartAsset’s website.