Emergency Fund Calculator by State
Add up your essential monthly costs to see your three- and six-month emergency fund and how long it takes to save it. The math is the same in every state; housing is what differs most, so pick your state to fill in its Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom home.
Updated
Enter Your Details
Adjust values to see instant results
Additional Details
Additional Details
Emergency Fund Target
Estimated • Based on your inputs
Amount Still Needed
$16,900.00
Months to Reach Goal
34
Detailed Breakdown
Disclaimer: This calculator provides estimates for informational purposes only. Results should not be considered financial, tax, or legal advice. Consult a qualified professional for your specific situation.
How this calculator works
Your target is your essential monthly costs (housing, utilities, food, transport, insurance and other must-pay bills) times the months you choose; three to six months is the usual range, more for a single or irregular income. Time to goal divides what is still needed by your monthly deposit and ignores interest. Every line except rent is an example you should replace; rent can be prefilled with your state's HUD Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom home.
Source: HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents (state table) checked
Fair Market Rent by state (HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rent)
HUD Fair Market Rents in force 2026-10-01 to 2027-09-30. Each state figure is the renter-household-weighted average of HUD's county and New England town FMRs (weights: Census ACS 2020-2024 renter households). Six months of rent alone shows how much of a fund housing takes.
| State | 1-bedroom FMR | 2-bedroom FMR | Six months of 2BR rent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $1,015 | $1,175 | $7,050 |
| Alaska | $1,201 | $1,539 | $9,234 |
| Arizona | $1,364 | $1,619 | $9,714 |
| Arkansas | $887 | $1,073 | $6,438 |
| California | $2,219 | $2,715 | $16,290 |
| Colorado | $1,635 | $1,944 | $11,664 |
| Connecticut | $1,675 | $2,039 | $12,234 |
| Delaware | $1,436 | $1,753 | $10,518 |
| Florida | $1,701 | $2,005 | $12,030 |
| Georgia | $1,374 | $1,528 | $9,168 |
| Hawaii | $1,910 | $2,487 | $14,922 |
| Idaho | $1,138 | $1,372 | $8,232 |
| Illinois | $1,518 | $1,752 | $10,512 |
| Indiana | $1,102 | $1,320 | $7,920 |
| Iowa | $916 | $1,125 | $6,750 |
| Kansas | $1,007 | $1,213 | $7,278 |
| Kentucky | $968 | $1,177 | $7,062 |
| Louisiana | $987 | $1,177 | $7,062 |
| Maine | $1,392 | $1,755 | $10,530 |
| Maryland | $1,798 | $2,104 | $12,624 |
| Massachusetts | $2,123 | $2,598 | $15,588 |
| Michigan | $1,118 | $1,381 | $8,286 |
| Minnesota | $1,252 | $1,532 | $9,192 |
| Mississippi | $935 | $1,095 | $6,570 |
| Missouri | $1,053 | $1,266 | $7,596 |
| Montana | $1,250 | $1,562 | $9,372 |
| Nebraska | $1,049 | $1,274 | $7,644 |
| Nevada | $1,411 | $1,686 | $10,116 |
| New Hampshire | $1,560 | $2,016 | $12,096 |
| New Jersey | $1,957 | $2,321 | $13,926 |
| New Mexico | $1,058 | $1,292 | $7,752 |
| New York | $2,303 | $2,565 | $15,390 |
| North Carolina | $1,300 | $1,460 | $8,760 |
| North Dakota | $914 | $1,107 | $6,642 |
| Ohio | $1,046 | $1,294 | $7,764 |
| Oklahoma | $927 | $1,141 | $6,846 |
| Oregon | $1,418 | $1,710 | $10,260 |
| Pennsylvania | $1,283 | $1,556 | $9,336 |
| Rhode Island | $1,532 | $1,917 | $11,502 |
| South Carolina | $1,250 | $1,396 | $8,376 |
| South Dakota | $963 | $1,191 | $7,146 |
| Tennessee | $1,227 | $1,406 | $8,436 |
| Texas | $1,273 | $1,517 | $9,102 |
| Utah | $1,243 | $1,506 | $9,036 |
| Vermont | $1,462 | $1,816 | $10,896 |
| Virginia | $1,596 | $1,791 | $10,746 |
| Washington | $1,759 | $2,106 | $12,636 |
| West Virginia | $842 | $1,040 | $6,240 |
| Wisconsin | $1,047 | $1,275 | $7,650 |
| Wyoming | $875 | $1,107 | $6,642 |
Fair Market Rents are HUD's 40th-percentile gross rents (rent plus utilities) for standard-quality units, set for housing programs; your own rent may be higher or lower. Enter it above.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much should my emergency fund be?
Three to six months of essential expenses, not of income. Add up rent or mortgage, utilities, groceries, transport, insurance and minimum debt payments, then multiply: $3,150 a month of essentials means $9,450 for three months and $18,900 for six.
Does the state I live in change the answer?
Only through what you pay, mostly rent. The method is the same everywhere; the table below gives each state's HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rent for one- and two-bedroom homes as a starting point for the housing line.