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
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