To really perceive the context of a family’s revenue, it have to be in contrast to native prices and long-term targets, which each might fluctuate over time. For most individuals, the identical pillars will make up the most important nonnegotiables in their funds. These embody fundamental requirements like housing, groceries, utilities, and transportation, and sure some discretionary spending on hobbies, actions, and different enrichment. In an try to safe this life-style for the long run, many households purpose to save a few of their revenue for emergencies, investments, retirement, training and different long-term targets. A typical budgeting method that encapsulates these three pillars known as the 50/30/20 rule: 50% of your post-tax revenue goes to wants, 30% to your desires, and 20% will get put aside for the long run.
With this in thoughts, SmartAsset assessed the wage wanted to attain this 50/30/20 preferrred – designated as a cushty wage – primarily based on the native prices in 100 of the most important U.S. cities.
Key Findings
- A single grownup wants to earn $150k to stay comfortably in these locations. New York, NY has the best particular person wage wanted to stay comfortably at $158,954. San Jose, CA follows carefully at $158,080. Orange County, CA cities of Irvine, Anaheim, and Santa Ana require an estimated $151,965 in revenue for a single grownup.
- These cities have the bottom wage wanted to stay comfortably. San Antonio, TX has the bottom wage threshold for each single adults and households of 4 at $83,242 and $192,608, respectively. New Orleans, LA has the second-lowest wage wanted for a single grownup to stay comfortably at $84,406, adopted by Memphis, TN at $86,320.
- The Bay Area is the costliest place for a household to stay comfortably. Bay Area cities make up the highest 4 of 5 locations with the best wage wanted for a household of 4 to stay comfortably. Incomes throughout two dad and mom are projected at $407,597 in San Francisco; $402,771 in San Jose; and $371,488 in each Fremont and Oakland. Boston, MA rounds out the highest 5 at $368,742.
- Families in these Texas cities are closest to a cushty wage. In Frisco, TX, the median family earns $145,444 – considerably increased than the nationwide median of $83,730. This determine additionally accounts for 63.1% of the $230,464 revenue a household of 4 in Frisco wants to stay comfortably. In McKinney, TX, the $124,177 median family revenue accounts for 53.9% of the $230,464 wanted.
10 Cities With the Highest Salary Needed to Live Comfortably
1. New York, New York
- Salary wanted for a single grownup: $158,954
- Salary wanted for a working household of 4: $337,875
- Median family revenue: $81,228
2. San Jose, California
- Salary wanted for a single grownup: $158,080
- Salary wanted for a working household of 4: $402,771
- Median family revenue: $148,226
3. (tie) Irvine, California
- Salary wanted for a single grownup: $151,965
- Salary wanted for a working household of 4: $327,226
- Median family revenue: $145,731
3. (tie) Anaheim, California
- Salary wanted for a single grownup: $151,965
- Salary wanted for a working household of 4: $327,226
- Median family revenue: $101,145
3. (tie) Santa Ana, California
- Salary wanted for a single grownup: $151,965
- Salary wanted for a working household of 4: $327,226
- Median family revenue: $95,118
6. Boston, Massachusetts
- Salary wanted for a single grownup: $139,776
- Salary wanted for a working household of 4: $368,742
- Median family revenue: $97,791
7. (tie) San Diego, California
- Salary wanted for a single grownup: $136,781
- Salary wanted for a working household of 4: $312,915
- Median family revenue: $111,032
7. (tie) Chula Vista, California
- Salary wanted for a single grownup: $136,781
- Salary wanted for a working household of 4: $312,915
- Median family revenue: $105,101
9. San Francisco, California
- Salary wanted for a single grownup: $134,950
- Salary wanted for a working household of 4: $407,597
- Median family revenue: $139,801
10. (tie) Fremont, California
- Salary wanted for a single grownup: $134,410
- Salary wanted for a working household of 4: $371,488
- Median family revenue: $175,816
10. (tie) Oakland, California
- Salary wanted for a single grownup: $134,410
- Salary wanted for a working household of 4: $371,488
- Median family revenue: $102,235
10 Cities With the Lowest Salary Needed to Live Comfortably
- San Antonio, Texas
- Salary wanted for a single grownup: $83,242
- Salary wanted for a working household of 4: $192,608
- Median family revenue: $66,176
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- Salary wanted for a single grownup: $84,406
- Salary wanted for a working household of 4: $197,766
- Median family revenue: $58,821
- Memphis, Tennessee
- Salary wanted for a single grownup: $86,320
- Salary wanted for a working household of 4: $193,939
- Median family revenue: $52,679
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- Salary wanted for a single grownup: $86,861
- Salary wanted for a working household of 4: $213,325
- Median family revenue: $70,040
- Baltimore, Maryland
- Salary wanted for a single grownup: $87,485
- Salary wanted for a working household of 4: $224,224
- Median family revenue: $64,778
- Louisville, Kentucky
- Salary wanted for a single grownup: $88,234
- Salary wanted for a working household of 4: $212,742
- Median family revenue: $67,251
- Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Salary wanted for a single grownup: $88,317
- Salary wanted for a working household of 4: $215,238
- Median family revenue: $60,930
- Winston-Salem, North Carolina
- Salary wanted for a single grownup: $88,442
- Salary wanted for a working household of 4: $205,421
- Median family revenue: $57,758
- Tucson, Arizona
- Salary wanted for a single grownup: $88,899
- Salary wanted for a working household of 4: $218,400
- Median family revenue: $60,483
- Fort Wayne, Indiana
- Salary wanted for a single grownup: $88,982
- Salary wanted for a working household of 4: $233,126
- Median family revenue: $61,436
Data and Methodology
SmartAsset used MIT Living Wage Calculator knowledge to collect the essential value of dwelling for a person with no youngsters and for 2 working adults with two youngsters. Data contains value of requirements together with housing, meals, transportation and revenue taxes. It was final up to date to replicate the latest knowledge out there on Feb. 15, 2026.
Applying these prices to the 50/30/20 funds for 100 of the most important U.S. cities, MIT’s dwelling wage is assumed to cowl wants (i.e. 50% of 1’s funds). From there the entire annual wage was extrapolated for people and households to spend 30% of the entire on desires and 20% on financial savings or debt funds. Median family revenue knowledge for cities comes from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 1 Year American Community Survey for 2024.
Questions about this research? Contact us at press@smartasset.com
Photo credit score: ©iStock.com/fizkes
