A six-figure salary sounds high. But how far that money really goes depends on where you live.
Magnify Money analyzed 381 major metros across the US to see where a family earning $100,000 would have the most and least room left in their budget to pay their expenses. That’s $8,333 a month before taxes for a household of three — two adults, one child — to pay for food, housing, transportation, childcare, student-loan payments, entertainment, and personal savings.
According to Magnify Money’s analysis, here are the most expensive metro areas to live in the US, where a six-figure salary barely makes the cut:
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, Massachusetts
Monthly after-tax income: $6,204
Estimated monthly expenses: $5,876 (95% of monthly after-tax income)
Remaining income: $328
Urban Honolulu, Hawaii
Monthly after-tax income: $6,098
Estimated monthly expenses: $5,796 (95% of monthly after-tax income)
Remaining income: $302
Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, Hawaii
Monthly after-tax income: $6,098
Estimated monthly expenses: $5,806 (95% of monthly after-tax income)
Remaining income: $292
California-Lexington Park, Maryland
Monthly after-tax income: $6,014
Estimated monthly expenses: $5,727 (95% of monthly after-tax income)
Remaining income: $287
New York-Newark-Jersey City-New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania
Monthly after-tax income: $6,370
Estimated monthly expenses: $6,101 (96% of monthly after-tax income)
Remaining income: $269
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, California
Monthly after-tax income: $6,291
Estimated monthly expenses: $6,023 (96% of monthly after-tax income)
Remaining income: $268
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, California
Monthly after-tax income: $6,291
Estimated monthly expenses: $6,212 (99% of monthly after-tax income)
Remaining income: $79
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, Connecticut
Monthly after-tax income: $6,297
Estimated monthly expenses: $6,436 (102% of monthly after-tax income)
Remaining income: -$139
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC, Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia
Monthly after-tax income: $6,264
Estimated monthly expenses: $6,578 (105% of monthly after-tax income)
Remaining income: -$315
