Don’t Move to These 25 Cities if You Want to Live Comfortably on $100k

Don’t Move to These 25 Cities if You Want to Live Comfortably on $100k

Want a healthy balance in your checking account? Think twice before moving to these 25 expensive cities.

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A lot of considerations go into choosing where to live. Whether it’s job opportunities, outdoor recreation, culture and entertainment, or the political landscape, whether a city is affordable is also one of the biggest factors in deciding where to live. We’ve seen more and more people leave big cities and their high costs of living in exchange for more affordable cities that also often offer more space.

As inflation soars around the country, leaving no city untouched, there are still many places where a six-figure household income would be more than sufficient, but that’s not the case in the 25 cities included on this list.

According to a recent survey, 9.3 million more consumers reported living paycheck to paycheck last year than in 2021, and of those, 8 million earned more than $100,000 a year.

We recently shared with you the top 25 cities where a $100,000 salary goes the furthest and now we’re taking you to the bottom of that list, where a $100,000 household income could mean living from one paycheck to the next, according to SmartAsset.

All cost information was obtained from SmartAsset and PayScale.

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25. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

25. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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The average cost of living here is 5% higher than the national average and the take home for a $100,000 salary is $67,455 after taxes. When you factor in cost-of-living adjustments, that salary goes down to $65,427.

The median price for a house is $450,913.

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24. New Orleans, Louisiana

24. New Orleans, Louisiana

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The average cost of living here is 12% higher than the national average and the take home for a $100,000 salary is $70,940 after taxes. When you factor in cost-of-living adjustments, that salary goes down to $63,623.

The median price for a house is $647,060.

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23. Bakersfield, California

23. Bakersfield, California

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The average cost of living here is 10% higher than the national average and the take home for a $100,000 salary is $68,050 after taxes. When you factor in cost-of-living adjustments, that salary goes down to $63,539.

The median price for a house is $462,186.

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22. Denver, Colorado

22. Denver, Colorado

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The average cost of living here is 11% higher than the national average and the take home for a $100,000 salary is $70,267 after taxes. When you factor in cost-of-living adjustments, that salary goes down to $63,190.

The median price for a house is $612,791.

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21. Aurora, Colorado

21. Aurora, Colorado

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The average cost of living here is 4% higher than the national average and the take home for a $100,000 salary is $70,267 after taxes. When you factor in cost-of-living adjustments, that salary goes down to $63,190.

The median price for a house is $484,819.

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20. Miami, Florida

20. Miami, Florida

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The average cost of living here is 21% higher than the national average and the take home for a $100,000 salary is $74,515 after taxes. When you factor in cost-of-living adjustments, that salary goes down to $60,680.

The median price for a house is $664,195.

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19. Chicago, Illinois

19. Chicago, Illinois

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The average cost of living here is 20% higher than the national average and the take home for a $100,000 salary is $69,680 after taxes. When you factor in cost-of-living adjustments, that salary goes down to $59,505.

The median price for a house is $684,035.

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18. Plano, Texas

18. Plano, Texas

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The average cost of living here is 21% higher than the national average and the take home for a $100,000 salary is $74,515 after taxes. When you factor in cost-of-living adjustments, that salary goes down to $59,422.

The median price for a house is $612,340.

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17. Anchorage, Alaska

17. Anchorage, Alaska

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The average cost of living here is 27% higher than the national average and the take home for a $100,000 salary is $74,317 after taxes. When you factor in cost-of-living adjustments, that salary goes down to $59,123.

The median price for a house is $616,398.

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16. Baltimore, Maryland

16. Baltimore, Maryland

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The average cost of living here is 8% higher than the national average and the take home for a $100,000 salary is $74,515 after taxes. When you factor in cost-of-living adjustments, that salary goes down to $58,995.

The median price for a house is $491,946.

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15. Sacramento, California

15. Sacramento, California

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The average cost of living here is 19% higher than the national average and the take home for a $100,000 salary is $68,050 after taxes. When you factor in cost-of-living adjustments, that salary goes down to $57,669.

The median price for a house is $644,355.

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14. Newark, New Jersey

14. Newark, New Jersey

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The average cost of living here is 21% higher than the national average and the take home for a $100,000 salary is $70,097 after taxes. When you factor in cost-of-living adjustments, that salary goes down to $57,082.

The median price for a house is $686,290.

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13. Stockton, California

13. Stockton, California

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The average cost of living here is 23% higher than the national average and the take home for a $100,000 salary is $68,050 after taxes. When you factor in cost-of-living adjustments, that salary goes down to $55,962.

The median price for a house is $627,671.

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12. Portland, Oregon

12. Portland, Oregon

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The average cost of living here is 24% higher than the national average and the take home for a $100,000 salary is $66,395 after taxes. When you factor in cost-of-living adjustments, that salary goes down to $54,333.

The median price for a house is $729,577.

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11. Arlington, Virginia

11. Arlington, Virginia

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The average cost of living here is 41% higher than the national average and the take home for a $100,000 salary is $69,535 after taxes. When you factor in cost-of-living adjustments, that salary goes down to $49,989.

The median price for a house is $997,420.

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10. Seattle, Washington

10. Seattle, Washington

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The average cost of living here is 50% higher than the national average and the take home for a $100,000 salary is $74,515 after taxes. When you factor in cost-of-living adjustments, that salary goes down to $48,959.

The median price for a house is $952,328.

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9. Boston, Massachusetts

9. Boston, Massachusetts

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The average cost of living here is 50% higher than the national average and the take home for a $100,000 salary is $69,835 after taxes. When you factor in cost-of-living adjustments, that salary goes down to $46,588.

The median price for a house is $1 million.

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8. Oakland, California

8. Oakland, California

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The average cost of living here is 54% higher than the national average and the take home for a $100,000 salary is $68,050 after taxes. When you factor in cost-of-living adjustments, that salary goes down to $46,198.

The median price for a house is $920,571.

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7. San Diego, California

7. San Diego, California

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The average cost of living here is 44% higher than the national average and the take home for a $100,000 salary is $66,622 after taxes. When you factor in cost-of-living adjustments, that salary goes down to $46,167.

The median price for a house is $1 million.

The metro area also includes Chula Vista and Carlsbad.

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6. Los Angeles, California

6. Los Angeles, California

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The average cost of living here is 51% higher than the national average and the take home for a $100,000 salary is $68,050 after taxes. When you factor in cost-of-living adjustments, that salary goes down to $44,623.

The median price for a house is $1 million.

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5. Long Beach, California

5. Long Beach, California

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The average cost of living here is 51% higher than the national average and the take home for a $100,000 salary is $68,050 after taxes. When you factor in cost-of-living adjustments, that salary goes down to $44,623.

The median price for a house is $1 million.

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4. Washington, DC

4. Washington, DC

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The average cost of living here is 39% higher than the national average and the take home for a $100,000 salary is $67,967 after taxes. When you factor in cost-of-living adjustments, that salary goes down to $44,307.

The median price for a house is $1.1 million.

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3. San Francisco, California

3. San Francisco, California

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The average cost of living here is 79% higher than the national average and the take home for a $100,000 salary is $66,622 after taxes. When you factor in cost-of-living adjustments, that salary goes down to $36,445.

The median price for a house is $1.3 million.

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2. Honolulu, Hawaii

2. Honolulu, Hawaii

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The average cost of living here is 84% higher than the national average and the take home for a $100,000 salary is $67,009 after taxes. When you factor in cost-of-living adjustments, that salary goes down to $36,026.

The median price for a house is $1.4 million.

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1. New York, New York

1. New York, New York

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The average cost of living here is 128% higher than the national average. In New York City, residents have a state and a city tax, making the take home for a $100,000 salary $65,700 after taxes. When you factor in cost-of-living adjustments, that salary goes down to $35,791.

The median price for a house is $2.1 million.

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