the average cost of living in the 22 safest states for trans people
share with a friend looking to move to a different state
Hello to the 1,213 hotties who subscribe to this newsletter! Thank you for being here.
Two weeks ago, the White House released a statement saying it opposes gender-affirming surgery for minors, ignoring the recommendations of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health. While it’s rare for minors to get gender-affirming surgery, this statement threatens trans rights in different areas:
Our access to gender-affirming healthcare, like hormone replacement therapy
Our ability to use bathrooms aligned with our gender identity
Book bans and education bans that prevent people from learning about queer and trans rights, and so much more
A 2023 survey by Data for Progress estimates that at least between 0.5 and 1% of transgender people — at least 130,000 people — have already fled their home states in response to the 600+ pieces of anti-trans legislation introduced across the US since 2023.
If you’re thinking of moving to a different state, here’s an updated guide that lists the average cost of living in the 21 safest states for trans people. The most protective and low-risk states are determined by Erin Reed’s most recent Anti-Trans Legislative Risk Map.
Note: I prioritize trans people who want to move to safe states in my financial coaching practice. Book your session here, or send me an email at leo@queerandtranswealth.org if you need a more accessible price.
Most protective states
These states have gone above and beyond to introduce legislation that protects trans rights. (Listed in lowest to highest rent)
Hawaii
Since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, Indigenous Hawaiians have been asking tourists to stop moving or traveling to Hawaii due to a lack of resources like clean water.
New Mexico
Annual cost of living: $43,336
Median rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $934
New Mexico offers gender-affirming healthcare. Because of the state’s affordability, many trans refugees are moving to New Mexico seeking gender-affirming care. Prepare for long waitlists to access care. (Source: KFF Health News, November 2023)
Minnesota
Annual cost of living: $43,336
Median rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $934
MinnesotaCare covers gender-affirming care. Single adults who make up to $20,029 annually can qualify for the state’s health plan.
Oregon
Annual cost of living: $52,159
Median rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $1,275
Portland: $1,304
The Oregon Health Plan covers gender-affirming care. Single adults who make $1,670 or less per month qualify for the state’s health coverage. Full eligibility details are available on the Oregon Health Authority website.
Maryland
Annual cost of living: $52,651
Median rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $1,532
Baltimore: $1,106
Medicaid in Maryland covers gender-affirming care. Single adults who make up to $1,732 per month are eligible for the state’s health insurance plan.
Colorado
Annual cost of living: $59,371
Median rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $1,407
Denver: $1,528
Health First Colorado covers gender-affirming care. Single adults ages 19 to 65 who make up to $1,669 per month qualify for the state's health plan. Full eligibility requirements can be found on Connect for Health Colorado.
Connecticut
Annual cost of living: $60,413
Median rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $1,434
HUSKY Health, Connecticut's state health plan, covers gender-affirming care. According to benefits.gov, single adults who make up to $45,180 annually are eligible for state healthcare coverage.
Maine
Annual cost of living: $55,789
Median rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $1,500
MaineCare covers gender-affirming healthcare. Single adults with an income of $1,733 per month or less are eligible for benefits. Full eligibility details are available on Maine’s Department of Health and Human Services website.
Washington
Annual cost of living: $56,567
Median rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $1,533**
Seattle: $1,926. To qualify for an apartment at this price, you need a salary of at least $60,137.
Washington Apple Health covers gender-affirming care. Single adults who make $1,732 per month or less qualify for health coverage. Full eligibility requirements can be found on the Washington State Health Care Authority website.
Rhode Island
Annual cost of living: $57,120*
Median rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $1,666
Rhode Island Medicaid covers gender-affirming healthcare. According to benefits.gov, single adults who make $20,030 per year or less may be eligible for Rhode Island Medicaid.
Vermont
Annual cost of living: $59,143*
Median rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $1,725
Vermont Medicaid covers gender-affirming care. According to benefits.gov, single adults who make up to $20,030 per year before taxes may be eligible for the state's health plan coverage. Full eligibility details can be found at Vermont Health Connect.
New Jersey
Annual cost of living: $60,082
Median rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $1,767
Single adults who make less than $1,732 per month are eligible for NJ Family Care, the state’s medicate plan, which covers gender-affirming care. New Jersey also has a State Health Benefits Program (SHBP) available to state and local government employees. SHBP covers gender reassignment surgery, but SHBP does not explicitly cover other gender-affirming care.
New York
Salary needed to cover living costs: $60,583
Median rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $1,767
New York City and surrounding burroughs: $3,687. To qualify for an apartment at this price, you need a salary of $126,411 per year.
New York Medicaid covers gender-affirming care. According to benefits.gov, single adults who make up to $20,783 per year before taxes may be eligible for New York Medicaid.
You can find out if you’re eligible for New York state’s health plan by entering your zip code and creating an account on NY State of Health insurance marketplace.
California
Annual cost of living: $60,272
Median rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $1,870
Los Angeles: $1,894. To qualify for an apartment at this price, you need a salary of $65,937 per year.
San Francisco: $2,994. To qualify for an apartment at this price, you need an annual salary of $102,651.
San Diego: $2,416. To qualify for an apartment at this price, you need an annual salary of $82,834.
Medi-Cal covers gender-affirming care. According to the California Department of Health Care Services, single adults who make $20,783 or less annually qualify for Medi-Cal healthcare coverage.
Washington, D.C.
Annual cost of living: $85,732
Median rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $1,890
D.C.'s Healthy Families program covers gender-affirming care. According to benefits.gov, single adults who make less than $45,180 before taxes qualify for the state health plan.
Massachusetts
Annual cost of living: $75,737*
Median rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $2,209
Boston: $2,872. To get an apartment at this price, you need an annual salary of $98,469.
MassHealth covers gender-affirming care. According the benefits.gov, single adults who make up to $20,783 per year before taxes may be eligible for the state's health plan.
Low-risk states
These states don’t explicitly target transgender adults but haven’t put any legislation in place to protect trans people. (Listed in order of lowest to highest rent)
Michigan
Annual cost of living: $49,482
Median rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $902
Detroit: $909
The Healthy Michigan Plan covers gender-affirming healthcare. Single adults who make about $18,000 per year are eligible for the Healthy Michigan Plan. Full eligibility details are available here.
Wisconsin
Annual cost of living: $49,284
Median rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $870
Wisconsin BadgerCare Plus covers gender-affirming healthcare. Single adults who make $1,255 per month or less may be eligible for certain health plans under the BadgerCare Plus umbrella. A guide to applying for benefits is available on the Wisconsin Department of Health Services website.
Pennsylvania
Annual cost of living: $53,703
Median rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $1,123
Philadelphia: $1,232
Pennsylvania Medical Assistance covers gender-affirming healthcare. According to benefits.gov, only people who are pregnant, or have dependents age 17 and younger, or have a disability or a family member living with a disability are eligible for Pennsylvania Medical Assistance. Of those groups, single adults must make $20,030 per year or less to be eligible for the state Medicaid plan. Full details about Pennsylvania Medical Assistance can be found on the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services website.
Arizona
Annual cost of living: $50,123
Median rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $1,141
Phoenix: $1,317
Arizona state health plans, which are under the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) Medicaid agency, do not cover gender-affirming healthcare.
Nevada
Annual cost of living: $50,922
Median rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $1,124
Las Vegas: 1,121
Nevada Health Link covers gender-affirming healthcare. People of any income level may use Nevada Health Link as their health insurance, but only people with incomes at the federal poverty level are eligible for free benefits. For single adults, that income level is $14,580 per year. Full eligibility details are available here.
Delaware
Annual cost of living: $52,532
Median rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $1,251**
Delaware Medicaid covers gender-affirming healthcare. According to benefits.gov, only people who are pregnant, have dependents age 17 or younger, blind, have a disability or a family member with a disability, or people 65 years of age or older are eligible for Delaware Medicaid. Of those groups, single adults must make $20,030 per year or less to be eligible for the state Medicaid plan. Full eligibility details are available on Delaware ASSIST.
Virginia
Annual cost of living: $52,027
Median rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $1,631**
Richmond: $1,240
Virginia Medicaid covers gender-affirming healthcare. Single adults who make less than $22,289 per year are eligible for free benefits. Use CoverVA’s Eligibility Screening Tool to find out if you are eligible.
Methodology
The annual cost of living data is sourced from the Bureau of Economic Analysis’ Personal Consumption Expenditures 2022 Report released on October 4, 2023.
*Some states have a cost-of-living that is far lower than what is needed to qualify for an apartment at the price listed in this newsletter. I updated those prices to reflect the median rent as 35% of the annual cost of living.The median rent for each state is sourced from Zillow Rentals Data updated on November 4, 2023 (Search settings: 1 bedroom » Apartments and Condos), except for **average rent in Delaware, Virginia, and Washington State, which is sourced from Apartment List.
The information about each state’s healthcare laws was sourced from the Movement Advancement Project’s report called Healthcare Laws and Policies: Medicaid Coverage for Transgender-Related Health Care last updated on May 21, 2024.
Income level eligibility information for each state health plan was sourced from each state health plan’s website when it was available. For states where this information is not readily available on the state health plan’s website, I used the benefits.gov page for each state (search settings: family size » 1).
Please share this information with a friend who needs to move to a different state for their safety.
TY for sharing this. had to explain to my family it is reality that I may have to move states in future for my safety and to receive medical care. this will make that search easier. TY Leo!