Hawaii ranks as the worst state for making a living

The cost of living and other factors in the Aloha State make Hawaii the worst state in which to make a living, according to personal finance site MoneyRates.com. Hawaii’s cost of living is higher than in any other state, largely due to higher-than-average housing expenses but also due to salaries that fail to compensate for the high cost of living. Also, Hawaii has among the highest income tax rates in the 50 states. Adjusted for taxes and cost of living, workers in Hawaii get the equivalent of 55 cents for each dollar earned, the study said.

Texas moved up a notch from 2014 to rank as the best state to make a living. The five factors evaluated in the study were average wages, state tax rates, cost of living, jobless rate and cases of workplace illness, injuries and fatalities.