Tennessee Adults Need $89,898 to Live Comfortably, Study Shows

A new analysis of state-by-state living costs indicates that a single adult in Tennessee requires an annual pre-tax income of $89,898 to live comfortably in 2026.

SmartAsset conducted the study using data from the MIT Living Wage Calculator. The firm adjusted the baseline living wage figures by applying the 50/30/20 budgeting rule. Under this framework, 50 percent of income covers necessities such as housing and utilities, 30 percent goes to discretionary spending, and 20 percent is allocated for savings and emergencies.

The resulting estimates represent the annual income needed to cover minimum basic needs across all 50 states. For a family of four, the report states that the threshold for living comfortably is as high as $329,000 in the most expensive locations. In the majority of states, specifically 40 of them, a household with two working adults and two children needs at least $200,000 a year to meet these financial benchmarks.

Tennessee appears in a distinct group of six states where the income required for a single adult has declined since 2025. The other states in this category are Maryland, Louisiana, North Carolina, Mississippi, and Texas. In each of these six locations, the 2026 figure is lower than the 2025 figure. Tennessee recorded the largest decrease among the group, with a drop of 1.7 percent. By comparison, Montana posted the largest national increase, with the single-adult threshold rising 8.6 percent to $100,797.

Nationally, the cost to live comfortably varies by household size. Massachusetts is the most expensive state for a family of four, requiring an income of $329,555. Hawaii is the most expensive state for a single adult, where the threshold stands at $129,002. At the other end of the spectrum, West Virginia is the least expensive state for single adults, requiring only $81,245. Mississippi is the least expensive state for a family of four, with a required income of $187,533.

The methodology for the study involved gathering basic cost-of-living estimates for two household types. The first is a single adult with no children. The second is a household consisting of two working adults and two children. The MIT Living Wage Calculator data used in this analysis was last updated in February 2026 to reflect the most recent available information. Researchers also sourced 2025 data to calculate the year-over-year changes for each state.

The study notes that source data providers are not affiliated with, and do not endorse or sponsor, the research or its findings. The analysis was produced by SmartAsset and distributed by Stacker. The figures are pre-tax annual income estimates, not take-home pay.

For residents of Davidson County and the broader state, the $89,898 figure serves as a concrete metric for household financial planning. It reflects the specific costs associated with housing, grocery, transportation, and other essential expenses in the current economic environment.