What? You Need To Make How Much Money to Be Happy In New York?

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, happiness is defined as "a state of well-being and contentment" or "a pleasurable or satisfying experience". How much money do you need to feel content or to be satisfied?

Money doesn't necessarily make you happy but it can certainly relieve a lot of stress in your life. This is how much money you need to earn to get by AND how much you need to earn to be happy living in New York State.

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U.S. News and World Report indicates that New Jersey is the richest state in the Nation with a median income of more than $96,000. Massachusetts is #3 at $94,000 and Connecticut at #10 with $84,000. New York is not one of the 10 richest states in America.

What would make you happy? Would owning a house or being debt free make you happy? Perhaps not living paycheck to paycheck is what would give you a sense of well-being. How much money does it take to be happy living in New York?

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GoBankingRates.com explains that living in New York State can be very expensive. That means more of our income goes out the door just to get by. You will need at least $73,000 just to get by in the Empire State.

If you want to be happy living in New York you will need to earn approximately $81,000. If you want to really enjoy life while living here you will need to make around $142,000.

LOOK: Average salary needed to get by in every U.S. state

According to data from GOBankingRates.com, The median salary across the U.S. a single person must make to get by collectively is $57,000. However, some states are far from that.

So how much higher or lower is your state to the national average, and which states are the top 10 most and least affordable overall? Let's find out.

Gallery Credit: Mike Brant

LOOK: Here is the richest town in each state

Just saying the names of these towns immediately conjures up images of grand mansions, luxury cars, and ritzy restaurants. Read on to see which town in your home state took the title of the richest location and which place had the highest median income in the country. Who knows—your hometown might even be on this list.

Gallery Credit: Meagan Drillinger