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1 week ago | 
gobankingrates.com | Gabrielle Olya |Chris Cluff
The COVID-19 pandemic permanently shaped the homebuying landscape. “A perfect cocktail of lower mortgage rates, higher savings and a growing desire for space drove housing demand to new heights during the pandemic,” Orphe Divounguy, senior economist at Zillow, said in a press release.
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1 week ago | 
gobankingrates.com | Heather Taylor |Chris Cluff
Does your annual salary place you among the lower-middle class? It depends on the state you live in, according to GOBankingRates data. The minimum income threshold for the lower-middle class in states with high cost of living, such as Massachusetts and Hawaii, is around double the amount required in less expensive states such as West Virginia and Mississippi.
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1 week ago | 
gobankingrates.com | Heather Taylor |Chris Cluff
May 6, 2025 3 min Read Commitment to Our ReadersGOBankingRates' editorial team is committed to bringing you unbiased reviews and information. We use data-driven methodologies to evaluate financial products and services - our reviews and ratings are not influenced by advertisers. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and our products and services review methodology. 20 YearsHelping You Live RicherTrusted by Millions of ReadersWho doesn’t love a tech sale?
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1 week ago | 
gobankingrates.com | Heather Taylor |Chris Cluff
May 5, 2025 3 min Read Commitment to Our ReadersGOBankingRates' editorial team is committed to bringing you unbiased reviews and information. We use data-driven methodologies to evaluate financial products and services - our reviews and ratings are not influenced by advertisers. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and our products and services review methodology.
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1 week ago | 
gobankingrates.com | Heather Taylor |Chris Cluff
Annual cost of a comfortable living: $66,745Cost of 20 years of comfortable retirement: $434,501How much you need to save monthly for 20 years of comfortable retirement (through age 85):If you start at age 20: $805If you start at age 30: $1,035Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed each state to find the amount you need to save monthly in order to retire comfortably.
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1 week ago | 
gobankingrates.com | Heather Taylor |Chris Cluff
Not surprisingly, a six-figure income is a requirement to achieve the American dream if you reside in the Western region of the United States. The amount of money needed, however, does fluctuate depending on your city and state of residence. A comfortable lifestyle in San Jose requires earning at least $319,000 while someone residing in Albuquerque can achieve the same dream for less than $115,000 annually.
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2 weeks ago | 
gobankingrates.com | Heather Taylor |Chris Cluff
Where could you retire if you had $2 million in savings plus Social Security benefits? New data from GOBankingRates indicates this amount can fund up to 30 years of retirement in 19 states. GOBankingRates was able to determine how long a comfortable retirement lasts with $2 million in retirement savings and Social Security benefits by analyzing key factors from each state: household median income, average Social Security income and the cost of living calculated after Social Security income.
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2 weeks ago | 
gobankingrates.com | Heather Taylor |Chris Cluff
Commitment to Our ReadersGOBankingRates' editorial team is committed to bringing you unbiased reviews and information. We use data-driven methodologies to evaluate financial products and services - our reviews and ratings are not influenced by advertisers. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and our products and services review methodology.
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2 weeks ago | 
gobankingrates.com | Heather Taylor |Chris Cluff
The definition of how much money one needs for a comfortable lifestyle has varied over the years, but many tend to agree it requires earning a six-figure income. However, depending on the state you live in, earning upwards of $150,000 annually might mean you’re considered part of the middle class rather than upper-middle or upper class. GOBankingRates was able to determine the amount of money needed to be considered middle class in every U.S. state by analyzing a few key factors.
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2 weeks ago | 
gobankingrates.com | Heather Taylor |Chris Cluff
Household income for the American dream: $101KTotal annual cost of living: $50KGrocery costs per year: $8,880Average monthly mortgage cost: $1,059Methodology: GOBankingRates analyzed the largest 50 cities based on population, along with the population ages 65 and over, total households and household median income, sourced from the U.S. Census American Community Survey. The cost-of-living indexes were sourced from Sperling’s BestPlaces.
