California is one of the most expensive states to live in, but it's not No. 1.Shutterstock.com
The state in which you choose to live can play a big role in how far your paycheck stretches each month.
Some states are just more expensive than others, forcing you to spend more of your paycheck on necessities.
GOBankingRates has identified the best — and worst — states foravoiding a paycheck-to-paycheck existence.
Data was collected to rank all 50 states in a range of categories, including median household income and the cost of housing, food, transportation, utilities, and healthcare.
We crunched those numbers to see which states' residents had the biggest portion of their paycheck left at the end of the month.
Click through to see if you live in a state that’s kind on your income or one that stretches your budget too thin.
10. Connecticut
Boasting Yale University as well as the fourth-highest median household income in the nation ($70,161), Connecticut residents need almost all their paycheck to get by because of the relatively high cost of food (the second highest in the U.S. at $353 per paycheck) and the high cost of housing ($738 per paycheck).
When all is said and done, the average Connecticut resident has less than a quarter of his paycheck left for fun and other expenses, or about $663.
9. Massachusetts
The site where the Mayflower landed is a little more taxing of a place to live than the Pilgrims probably envisioned. The high cost of housing — about 30 percent of the median paycheck — and transportation — about 21 percent — put Massachusetts in the top 10 of places you’re most likely to live paycheck to paycheck.
The final result? After housing, food, utilities and transportation costs are covered, only about 23 percent, or about $550, is left over to see the New England sights — or buy Patriots tickets.
8. Rhode Island
The smallest state in the nation is also one of the most expensive, coming in as the eighth most likely to see its residents living paycheck to paycheck. The reason can mostly be attributed to relatively high percentage of the median paycheck spent on housing (29 percent) and transportation (20 percent).
With more than 50 percent of their income going to those two necessities, there’s a mere 23 percent of each paycheck, or $508, left over.
7. New Jersey
New Jersey governor and presidential hopeful Chris Christie might not want this widely known, but his residents are seventh most likely to live paycheck to paycheck.
Not only are food, utilities, and average health costs relatively high, but housing and transportation cost about 33 percent and 20 percent, respectively, of the healthy median paycheck of $2,509. That leaves Christie’s constituents with only 22 percent of their paychecks to donate to a presidential campaign, or something more fun.
6. Nevada
It might be easier for most Nevada residents to avoid throwing money away in casinos than it is for people visiting the state because Nevada residents don’t have a lot of leftover money for blackjack. Despite having no state income tax, Nevada residents made this list in part because of a whopping 32 percent of each paycheck going toward housing and another 23 percent allocated for transportation.
That only leaves a little over $400, or 21 percent, to hit the tables with. No wonder Vegas thrives on tourism.
5. Florida
The Sunshine State might not feel so warm to many residents, with a relatively low median household income of $46,140, translating into a median paycheck of only $1,775. Of that, $593 (33 percent) goes to housing. And while food costs are only $183 (10 percent) per paycheck, transportation is $330 (19 percent) and healthcare costs are $150 (8 percent).
The result is only $376 left over. How is the average Floridian supposed to keep their golf game up with that?
4. Alaska
The largest state in the union is a pretty expensive place to live, even with a decent median household income of $67,629 and no state income tax. But with food, housing and transportation taking nearly 62 percent of each paycheck, Alaskans can end up on thin ice come the end of each month.
After utilities and healthcare costs are factored in, Alaskans only have 20 percent of their paycheck leftover. That’s cold.
3. New York
Many people might guess that the city that never sleeps would rank No. 1 on this list. Close. What got New Yorkers to the dubious honor of third are a relatively modest median household income ($54,310) combined with high per-paycheck housing (34 percent) and transportation (21 percent) costs.
It all results in a mere $372 (18 percent) of each paycheck left over. Does that even buy dinner and a show anymore?
2. California
The Golden State is not so golden for a lot of its residents. Californians need to spend a lot of their paychecks on housing — $819 of a $2,326 paycheck, or 35 percent — and on transportation (25 percent). Maybe it’s true that no one walks in LA.
With only $313 (roughly 13 percent of each paycheck) left over, not much is left for a day at Disneyland.
1. Hawaii
Paradise is pricey. Hawaii comes in as the No. 1 state where you’re most likely to live paycheck to paycheck — and for good reason. Despite having the third-highest median household income in the nation ($71,223), the cost of food, housing, transportation and utilities per paycheck are all highest in the Aloha State.
That breakdown results in a paltry $186 of leftover income, or less than 7 percent of each paycheck — the only state in single digits.
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