How Much Do North Dakotans Need To Earn To Live Comfortably?

There was a map of the United States floating around social media this weekend that had a lot of people talking.

How much do you need to earn each year to live comfortably in each state?  This had a lot of people scoffing at the numbers generated.

I don't know about you, but I certainly don't feel like I'm living comfortably.  It seems like every month is a challenge to have enough money to pay all your bills and food costs.

Let alone if some unexpected bill were to come up.  A car breaks down, a medical emergency, or an unforeseen necessity.

How much money does a couple with two kids in North Dakota need to earn to live comfortably?  Here's a look at that map.

As you can see by the map, North Dakotans would need to earn $202,000 a year to live "comfortably".

If you read the fine print, "comfortably" is defined as an annual income between the couple to cover a 50/30/20 budget.  Allocating 50% of earnings for necessities, 30% to discrepancies, and 20% to savings.

I wish I had 20% left over each month to go towards savings and my future.  Not even close.

Many of the comments I read on social media this past weekend concerning this map were saying, "These numbers are unrealistic", "It doesn't cost that much to live comfortably in North Dakota", or "This has to be a joke right?"  Just a few of the comments disagreeing on how much it would take to be comfortable in North Dakota.

According to Income by Zip Code, the average household income in North Dakota is $97,221.  

That's a far cry from 204K.  How about you?  Do you feel you are living comfortably in the Peace Garden State?  I would love to hear your comments.