The salary you need to live comfortably in 100 US cities
To truly understand the context of a household’s income, it must be compared to local costs and long-term goals, which both may fluctuate over time. For most people, the same pillars will make up the biggest nonnegotiables in their budget. These include basic necessities like housing, groceries, utilities, and transportation, and likely some discretionary spending on hobbies, activities, and other enrichment. In an attempt to secure this lifestyle for the future, many households aim to save some of their income for emergencies, investments, retirement, education, and other long-term goals. A common budgeting technique that encapsulates these three pillars is called the 50/30/20 rule: 50% of your post-tax income goes to needs, 30% to your wants, and 20% gets set aside for the future.
With this in mind, SmartAsset assessed the salary needed to reach this 50/30/20 ideal — designated as a comfortable salary — based on the local costs in 100 of the largest U.S. cities.
Key Findings
A single adult needs to earn $150,000 to live comfortably in these places. New York has the highest individual salary needed to live comfortably at $158,954. San Jose, California, follows closely at $158,080. Orange County cities Irvine, Anaheim, and Santa Ana require an estimated $151,965 in income for a single adult.
These cities have the lowest salary needed to live comfortably. San Antonio has the lowest salary threshold for both single adults and families of four at $83,242 and $192,608, respectively. New Orleans has the second-lowest salary needed for a single adult to live comfortably at $84,406, followed by Memphis, Tennessee, at $86,320.
The Bay Area is the most expensive place for a family to live comfortably. Bay Area cities make up the top four of the five places with the highest salary needed for a family of four to live comfortably. Incomes across two parents are projected at $407,597 in San Francisco, $402,771 in San Jose, and $371,488 in both Fremont and Oakland. Boston rounds out the top five at $368,742.
Families in these Texas cities are closest to a comfortable salary. In Frisco, the median household earns $145,444 — substantially higher than the national median of $83,730. This figure also accounts for 63.1% of the $230,464 income a family of four in Frisco needs to live comfortably. In McKinney, the $124,177 median household income accounts for 53.9% of the $230,464 needed.
SmartAsset
10 Cities With the Highest Salary Needed to Live Comfortably
1. New York, New York
Salary needed for a single adult: $158,954
Salary needed for a working family of four: $337,875
Median household income: $81,228
2. San Jose, California
Salary needed for a single adult: $158,080
Salary needed for a working family of four: $402,771
Median household income: $148,226
3. (tie) Irvine, California
Salary needed for a single adult: $151,965
Salary needed for a working family of four: $327,226
Median household income: $145,731
3. (tie) Anaheim, California
Salary needed for a single adult: $151,965
Salary needed for a working family of four: $327,226
Median household income: $101,145
3. (tie) Santa Ana, California
Salary needed for a single adult: $151,965
Salary needed for a working family of four: $327,226
Median household income: $95,118
6. Boston, Massachusetts
Salary needed for a single adult: $139,776
Salary needed for a working family of four: $368,742
Median household income: $97,791
7. (tie) San Diego, California
Salary needed for a single adult: $136,781
Salary needed for a working family of four: $312,915
Median household income: $111,032
7. (tie) Chula Vista, California
Salary needed for a single adult: $136,781
Salary needed for a working family of four: $312,915
Median household income: $105,101
9. San Francisco, California
Salary needed for a single adult: $134,950
Salary needed for a working family of four: $407,597
Median household income: $139,801
10. (tie) Fremont, California
Salary needed for a single adult: $134,410
Salary needed for a working family of four: $371,488
Median household income: $175,816
10. (tie) Oakland, California
Salary needed for a single adult: $134,410
Salary needed for a working family of four: $371,488
Median household income: $102,235
10 Cities With the Lowest Salary Needed to Live Comfortably
San Antonio, Texas
Salary needed for a single adult: $83,242
Salary needed for a working family of four: $192,608
Median household income: $66,176
New Orleans, Louisiana
Salary needed for a single adult: $84,406
Salary needed for a working family of four: $197,766
Median household income: $58,821
Memphis, Tennessee
Salary needed for a single adult: $86,320
Salary needed for a working family of four: $193,939
Median household income: $52,679
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Salary needed for a single adult: $86,861
Salary needed for a working family of four: $213,325
Median household income: $70,040
Baltimore, Maryland
Salary needed for a single adult: $87,485
Salary needed for a working family of four: $224,224
Median household income: $64,778
Louisville, Kentucky
Salary needed for a single adult: $88,234
Salary needed for a working family of four: $212,742
Median household income: $67,251
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Salary needed for a single adult: $88,317
Salary needed for a working family of four: $215,238
Median household income: $60,930
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Salary needed for a single adult: $88,442
Salary needed for a working family of four: $205,421
Median household income: $57,758
Tucson, Arizona
Salary needed for a single adult: $88,899
Salary needed for a working family of four: $218,400
Median household income: $60,483
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Salary needed for a single adult: $88,982
Salary needed for a working family of four: $233,126
Median household income: $61,436
Data and Methodology
SmartAsset used MIT Living Wage Calculator data to gather the basic cost of living for an individual with no children and for two working adults with two children. Data includes the cost of necessities, including housing, food, transportation, and income taxes. It was last updated to reflect the most recent data available on Feb. 15, 2026.
Applying these costs to the 50/30/20 budget for 100 of the largest U.S. cities, MIT’s living wage is assumed to cover needs (i.e., 50% of one’s budget). From there, the total annual wage was extrapolated for individuals and families to spend 30% of the total on wants and 20% on savings or debt payments. Median household income data for cities comes from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 1 Year American Community Survey for 2024.
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