Salary Needed to Live Comfortably in US Cities
- SmartAsset ranked the largest U.S. cities based on the estimated annual income required for a single adult to cover essential expenses, occasional extras, and savings as of February 10, 2025.
- This ranking was derived by analyzing living costs from the MIT Living Wage Calculator and applying the 50/30/20 budgeting guideline, which allocates income toward essential expenses, discretionary purchases, and savings.
- San Jose, California, now requires the highest single adult salary at $147,430, overtaking New York City, which needs $136,656.
- Median household incomes lag behind required salaries, such as $136,229 in San Jose and $76,577 in New York City, highlighting affordability gaps.
- The findings suggest that, across large U.S. cities, single adults need at least $85,000 and families nearly $200,000 annually to maintain a comfortable lifestyle.
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42 Articles
Salary needed to live comfortably in US cities | News Channel 3-12
StockImageFactory.com // Shutterstock StockImageFactory.com // Shutterstock Salary needed to live comfortably in US cities Most households aim to maintain a cushion between the necessary spending for day-to-day necessities—like housing, food, utilities and childcare—while also enjoying life in the moment and saving for the future. This means keeping room in the budget for the occasional vacation or splurge, as well as savings for long-term goals…
Zillow research shows Richmond residents need $68k to afford average rent in the area
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- As the cost of living increases, so has affordable housing -- with Richmond being one of many states requiring residents to make over $65k for affordable housing. According to Zillow, the cost of living has sky rocketed across the country with renters needing to earn more than 80k to comfortably afford rent, which is up from 60k from five years ago. In Richmond, the income needed to comfortably afford rent as of April 202…
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