Louisiana Residents: You Need This Shocking Amount of Money to Live Comfortably

(KPEL News) - Louisiana people are struggling more than ever to live their version of the "American Dream" because the cost of living continues to skyrocket. SmartAsset recently analyzed the annual salary required for people in each state to live comfortably.

Check out the Helpful Professor explaining the American Dream:

Then, NBC10Boston asked the question, "What Does The American Dream Mean in 2025?" Check out what they found:

The numbers aren't looking great for Louisiana, but according to SmartAsset, the state is actually one of the places where the cost of living is more affordable than in most other states.

Whether it's car insurance, homeowner's insurance, or the cost of getting the basic necessities at the grocery store, people are hurting more than ever. According to statistics from SmartAsset, the cost of living in Louisiana has increased again year-over-year.

The Cost Of Living For A Single Person In Louisiana And The Nation

The cost of living in Louisiana for a single person increased by $2,870.60 from 2024 to 2025. I doubt that most people have received a raise in the last year to close this gap.

Nationally, single people and families see an even greater increase. For a single person, the average household income has increased by $5,844.

Nationally, a family of four, if they want to live comfortably, will have to earn about $9,360 more.

How Does SmartAsset Allot Spending?

SmartAsset says they looked at the numbers and analyzed them using the 50/30/20 budgeting method to figure out what most people need.

The company explains that this is an easy method to figure out what you need to budget for with your pay each month.

They used the MIT Living Wage Calculator to determine the salary for each state for single individuals and families of four. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology allows people to use the tool based on different types of families.

What Is The 50/30/20 Rule?

They say with this 50/30/20 rule, this is how they divide up your income:

Use 50% of your salary to pay for necessities like rent/mortgage payment, groceries, insurance, and your transportation. These are your needs.

Use 30% of your salary to pay for things like your hobbies, shopping, the gym, dining out, and streaming services. These are your wants. 

Use 20% of your salary to pay off extra debt, save money, and put money in a retirement fund. This is the savings and debt payment category.

What Do You Need To Make To Live Comfortably In Louisiana?

According to the data used by SmartAsset, if you are a single person living in Louisiana in 2024, you would need to make $82,451 per year.

For 2025, if you are a single person living in Louisiana, you need a salary of $85,321.60 to live comfortably.

According to the analyzed data, a family of four living in Louisiana in 2024 would have needed to earn $189,613 each year to live comfortably.

For 2025, the number goes up dramatically. A family of four living in Louisiana in 2025 needs to have an annual income of $199,596.80 to live comfortably.

Louisiana Paycheck Calculator can give you an idea of what your take-home pay would be for an annual income, so you know what the amount of each check would be.

You can check out the coverage of this top via WWL: