The short answer for 2026, based on Massachusetts's cost of living — plus what people actually earn.
The typical Massachusetts household earns about $114,000 — roughly 1% above the $112,500 a comfortable lifestyle costs here, so a median income stretches comfortably in Massachusetts.
| Lifestyle | Salary needed |
|---|---|
| Modest (single, essentials covered) | $75,000 |
| Comfortable (average-state lifestyle) | $112,500 |
| Very comfortable (room to save) | $150,000 |
Figures scale each benchmark by Massachusetts's BLISS cost score (1.50). They estimate the pre-tax salary needed to match that spending power — actual needs vary by city, household size, and lifestyle.
A salary is not what you keep. See your actual paycheck after Massachusetts and federal taxes.
Calculate my take-home pay ›To live the way $75,000 does in an average U.S. state, you need about $112,500 in Massachusetts, because its cost of living is 50% above the U.S. average (a BLISS score of 1.50). A modest single-person budget is closer to $75,000, and $150,000 buys a very comfortable lifestyle with room to save.
About $114,000 a year. That is what a typical Massachusetts household actually earns — useful to compare against the $112,500 a comfortable lifestyle costs in the state.
Massachusetts's cost of living is 50% above the U.S. average, ranking #48 of 50 for affordability (#1 = cheapest). On our overall Best Life Rank, which weighs cost against quality of life, Massachusetts sits at #6 of 50.