Yahoo Finance What Salary the Average Family Needs To Live Comfortably in 101 Major US Cities
Life is getting more expensive for the average family across America. With inflation still being higher than usual, people are finding that they have to fork out a lot more money for the same goods and services they’ve always paid for — without a comparable boost in income.
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What once determined comfortable living is not the same anymore. Location also affects how much you’ll need to live comfortably in the U.S., so that amount varies wildly depending on the city and state you live in.
For example, if you live in midwestern or southern states like Ohio, Indiana, Oklahoma, Texas or Alabama, the average salary you’ll need to live comfortably is under $80,000 per year. On the other hand, living in cities in California, Rhode Island or New Jersey requires well over $100,000 to get by.
GOBankingRates analyzed the largest U.S. cities by population, as well as average monthly expenditures and salary, in a recent study. Here is the salary that the average family needs to live comfortably in 101 major U.S. cities.
Also, check out the salary a single person needs to live in every state.
101. Sacramento, California
Salary needed: $143,317
Median household income: $78,954
Monthly cost of living: $5,972
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100. Chandler, Arizona
Salary needed: $143,239
Median household income: $99,374
Monthly cost of living: $5,968
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99. Vancouver, Washington
Salary needed: $141,530
Median household income: $73,626
Monthly cost of living: $5,897
98. McKinney, Texas
Salary needed: $140,160
Median household income: $113,286
Monthly cost of living: $5,840
97. Henderson, Nevada
Salary needed: $138,764
Median household income: $85,311
Monthly cost of living: $5,782
96. Anchorage, Alaska
Salary needed: $138,755
Median household income: $95,731
Monthly cost of living: $5,781
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95. Peoria, Arizona
Salary needed: $137,989
Median household income: $86,759
Monthly cost of living: $5,750
94. Tempe, Arizona
Salary needed: $137,911
Median household income: $72,022
Monthly cost of living: $5,746
93. Newark, New Jersey
Salary needed: $137,844
Median household income: $46,460
Monthly cost of living: $5,743
92. Tacoma, Washington
Salary needed: $137,032
Median household income: $79,085
Monthly cost of living: $5,710
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91. San Bernardino, California
Salary needed: $137,023
Median household income: $61,323
Monthly cost of living: $5,709
90. Overland Park, Kansas
Salary needed: $135,226
Median household income: $100,876
Monthly cost of living: $5,634
89. Colorado Springs, Colorado
Salary needed: $135,097
Median household income: $79,026
Monthly cost of living: $5,629
88. Modesto, California
Salary needed: $134,860
Median household income: $73,375
Monthly cost of living: $5,619
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87. Worcester, Massachusetts
Salary needed: $134,836
Median household income: $63,011
Monthly cost of living: $5,618
86. Stockton, California
Salary needed: $134,485
Median household income: $71,612
Monthly cost of living: $5,604
85. Virginia Beach, Virginia
Salary needed: $133,446
Median household income: $87,544
Monthly cost of living: $5,560
84. Madison, Wisconsin
Salary needed: $131,826
Median household income: $74,895
Monthly cost of living: $5,493
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83. Raleigh, North Carolina
Salary needed: $131,426
Median household income: $78,631
Monthly cost of living: $5,476
82. Atlanta
Salary needed: $131,119
Median household income: $77,655
Monthly cost of living: $5,463
81. Nashville, Tennessee
Salary needed: $130,592
Median household income: $71,328
Monthly cost of living: $5,441
80. Las Vegas
Salary needed: $130,389
Median household income: $66,356
Monthly cost of living: $5,433
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79. Mesa, Arizona
Salary needed: $130,021
Median household income: $73,766
Monthly cost of living: $5,418
78. Chesapeake, Virginia
Salary needed: $129,357
Median household income: $92,703
Monthly cost of living: $5,390
77. Phoenix
Salary needed: $128,951
Median household income: $72,092
Monthly cost of living: $5,373
76. Cape Coral, Florida
Salary needed: $127,482
Median household income: $72,474
Monthly cost of living: $5,312
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75. Orlando, Florida
Salary needed: $127,416
Median household income: $66,292
Monthly cost of living: $5,309
74. Glendale, Arizona
Salary needed: $126,013
Median household income: $66,375
Monthly cost of living: $5,251
73. Durham, North Carolina
Salary needed: $125,541
Median household income: $74,710
Monthly cost of living: $5,231
72. North Las Vegas, Nevada
Salary needed: $125,472
Median household income: $71,774
Monthly cost of living: $5,228
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71. Charlotte, North Carolina
Salary needed: $125,031
Median household income: $74,070
Monthly cost of living: $5,210
70. Providence, Rhode Island
Salary needed: $124,389
Median household income: $61,365
Monthly cost of living: $5,183
69. Tampa, Florida
Salary needed: $124,220
Median household income: $66,802
Monthly cost of living: $5,176
68. Fresno, California
Salary needed: $123,893
Median household income: $63,001
Monthly cost of living: $5,162
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67. Bakersfield, California
Salary needed: $122,977
Median household income: $73,827
Monthly cost of living: $5,124
66. Richmond, Virginia
Salary needed: $122,871
Median household income: $59,606
Monthly cost of living: $5,120
65. Spokane, Washington
Salary needed: $122,122
Median household income: $63,316
Monthly cost of living: $5,088
64. Minneapolis
Salary needed: $120,053
Median household income: $76,332
Monthly cost of living: $5,002
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63. Irving, Texas
Salary needed: $118,941
Median household income: $76,686
Monthly cost of living: $4,956
62. Lincoln, Nebraska
Salary needed: $116,181
Median household income: $67,846
Monthly cost of living: $4,841
61. Knoxville, Tennessee
Salary needed: $114,969
Median household income: $48,309
Monthly cost of living: $4,790
60. Dallas
Salary needed: $114,758
Median household income: $63,985
Monthly cost of living: $4,782
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59. Chicago
Salary needed: $114,193
Median household income: $71,673
Monthly cost of living: $4,758
58. Grand Prairie, Texas
Salary needed: $113,591
Median household income: $76,626
Monthly cost of living: $4,733
57. Omaha, Nebraska
Salary needed: $113,545
Median household income: $70,202
Monthly cost of living: $4,731
56. Aurora, Illinois
Salary needed: $113,459
Median household income: $85,943
Monthly cost of living: $4,727
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55. Arlington, Texas
Salary needed: $113,138
Median household income: $71,736
Monthly cost of living: $4,714
54. Fort Worth, Texas
Salary needed: $111,113
Median household income: $72,726
Monthly cost of living: $4,630
53. Tucson, Arizona
Salary needed: $110,939
Median household income: $52,049
Monthly cost of living: $4,622
52. Garland, Texas
Salary needed: $110,932
Median household income: $71,044
Monthly cost of living: $4,622
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51. Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Salary needed: $110,782
Median household income: $71,785
Monthly cost of living: $4,616
50. Jacksonville, Florida
Salary needed: $110,502
Median household income: $64,138
Monthly cost of living: $4,604
49. Tallahassee, Florida
Salary needed: $110,306
Median household income: $52,899
Monthly cost of living: $4,596
48. Albuquerque, New Mexico
Salary needed: $110,093
Median household income: $61,503
Monthly cost of living: $4,587
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47. Norfolk, Virginia
Salary needed: $109,839
Median household income: $60,998
Monthly cost of living: $4,577
46. Chattanooga, Tennessee
Salary needed: $107,770
Median household income: $57,703
Monthly cost of living: $4,490
45. Rochester, New York
Salary needed: $107,094
Median household income: $44,156
Monthly cost of living: $4,462
44. Newport News, Virginia
Salary needed: $107,033
Median household income: $63,355
Monthly cost of living: $4,460
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43. Huntsville, Alabama
Salary needed: $105,934
Median household income: $67,874
Monthly cost of living: $4,414
42. Lexington, Kentucky
Salary needed: $105,921
Median household income: $66,087
Monthly cost of living: $4,413
41. Houston
Salary needed: $104,843
Median household income: $60,440
Monthly cost of living: $4,368
40. Buffalo, New York
Salary needed: $104,668
Median household income: $46,184
Monthly cost of living: $4,361
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39. Greensboro, North Carolina
Salary needed: $103,009
Median household income: $55,051
Monthly cost of living: $4,292
38. Columbus, Ohio
Salary needed: $102,863
Median household income: $62,994
Monthly cost of living: $4,286
37. Pittsburgh
Salary needed: $102,596
Median household income: $60,187
Monthly cost of living: $4,275
36. Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Salary needed: $102,590
Median household income: $54,416
Monthly cost of living: $4,275
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35. Grand Rapids, Michigan
Salary needed: $101,787
Median household income: $61,634
Monthly cost of living: $4,241
34. San Antonio
Salary needed: $100,915
Median household income: $59,593
Monthly cost of living: $4,205
33. Philadelphia
Salary needed: $100,230
Median household income: $57,537
Monthly cost of living: $4,176
32. Cincinnati
Salary needed: $99,907
Median household income: $49,191
Monthly cost of living: $4,163
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31. Kansas City, Missouri
Salary needed: $98,474
Median household income: $65,256
Monthly cost of living: $4,103
30. New Orleans
Salary needed: $98,349
Median household income: $51,116
Monthly cost of living: $4,098
29. Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Salary needed: $97,826
Median household income: $50,155
Monthly cost of living: $4,076
28. Fayetteville, North Carolina
Salary needed: $97,154
Median household income: $53,424
Monthly cost of living: $4,048
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27. Wichita, Kansas
Salary needed: $97,004
Median household income: $60,712
Monthly cost of living: $4,042
26. Indianapolis
Salary needed: $96,826
Median household income: $59,110
Monthly cost of living: $4,034
25. Milwaukee
Salary needed: $96,454
Median household income: $49,733
Monthly cost of living: $4,019
24. Louisville, Kentucky
Salary needed: $96,430
Median household income: $63,114
Monthly cost of living: $4,018
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23. Lubbock, Texas
Salary needed: $96,148
Median household income: $58,734
Monthly cost of living: $4,006
22. Corpus Christi, Texas
Salary needed: $95,666
Median household income: $64,449
Monthly cost of living: $3,986
21. Des Moines, Iowa
Salary needed: $95,093
Median household income: $62,378
Monthly cost of living: $3,962
20. Tulsa, Oklahoma
Salary needed: $94,442
Median household income: $56,648
Monthly cost of living: $3,935
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19. Oklahoma City
Salary needed: $94,209
Median household income: $64,251
Monthly cost of living: $3,925
18. Fort Wayne, Indiana
Salary needed: $94,104
Median household income: $58,233
Monthly cost of living: $3,921
17. Baltimore
Salary needed: $91,711
Median household income: $58,349
Monthly cost of living: $3,821
16. El Paso, Texas
Salary needed: $91,590
Median household income: $55,710
Monthly cost of living: $3,816
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15. Little Rock, Arkansas
Salary needed: $90,665
Median household income: $58,697
Monthly cost of living: $3,778
14. Mobile, Alabama
Salary needed: $90,177
Median household income: $48,524
Monthly cost of living: $3,757
13. Laredo, Texas
Salary needed: $88,281
Median household income: $60,928
Monthly cost of living: $3,678
12. Augusta, Georgia
Salary needed: $87,831
Median household income: $50,492
Monthly cost of living: $3,660
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11. Columbus, Georgia
Salary needed: $87,572
Median household income: $54,561
Monthly cost of living: $3,649
10. Amarillo, Texas
Salary needed: $87,362
Median household income: $60,628
Monthly cost of living: $3,640
9. Brownsville, Texas
Salary needed: $86,220
Median household income: $46,735
Monthly cost of living: $3,592
8. Memphis, Tennessee
Salary needed: $84,553
Median household income: $48,090
Monthly cost of living: $3,523
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7. Montgomery, Alabama
Salary needed: $84,131
Median household income: $3,505
Monthly cost of living: $54,166
6. Birmingham. Alabama
Salary needed: $82,087
Median household income: $3,420
Monthly cost of living: $42,464
5. Akron, Ohio
Salary needed: $81,088
Median household income: $3,379
Monthly cost of living: $46,596
4. Shreveport, Louisiana
Salary needed: $80,759
Median household income: $3,365
Monthly cost of living: $45,967
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3. Toledo, Ohio
Salary needed: $79,478
Median household income: $45,405
Monthly cost of living: $3,312
2. Cleveland
Salary needed: $78,703
Median household income: $3,279
Monthly cost of living: $37,271
1. Detroit
Salary needed: $72,692
Median household income: $37,761
Monthly cost of living: $3,029
Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed the largest US cities by population as sourced from the US Census American Community Survey. For each city a number of factors were found: total population, total households, and median household income all sourced from the US Census American Community Survey, livability index as sourced from AreaVibes, cost of living indexes as sourced from Sperling’s BestPlaces and average home value from April 2024 for single family homes as sourced from Zillow Home Value Index. To find the average expenditure costs, the cost of living indexes were used along with the average expenditure costs as sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey for married couple with kids, as they represent an overall average of families who have at least one child. The average home value was used to find the average mortgage cost by assuming a 10% down payment and using the national average 30-year fixed mortgage rate. Using the average expenditure cost and average mortgage, the total cost of living can be calculated. The cities were sorted to show the most populated cities with all data points available in order to find the average salary a family needs to live comfortably in 100 major US cities. All data was collected on and is up-to-date as-of May 30th, 2024.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: What Salary the Average Family Needs To Live Comfortably in 101 Major US Cities
