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50 Cities Where It’s Getting Easier for Families To Make Ends Meet

March 27, 2025

9 min Read

Written by Laura Beck

Edited by Gary Dudak

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Making ends meet as a family can be a constant struggle, especially with the cost of living rising across the U.S. However, there are some cities where families can balance their budgets without going into debt.

A recent GOBankingRates study looked at household income data, cost of living and other factors to determine the 50 cities where families can find it easier to live within their means. The study analyzed changes in mean household income over the past few years, along with the percentage of households earning $200,000 or more. Cost-of-living data for housing, food, transportation and healthcare expenses were also factored in.

The data suggests that there are still cities where families can secure a comfortable, middle-class lifestyle. It may require leaving behind the most expensive metro areas, but the cities on this list represent places where families are keeping their financial stability.

McLean, Virginia

2019 mean household income: $296,594
2022 mean household income: $364,093
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,123.02
Average monthly rent: $2,542.96
Income needed: $135,983.43

Los Gatos, California

2019 mean household income: $217,966
2022 mean household income: $305,653
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,390.07
Average monthly rent: $3,413.77
Income needed: $163,292.16

Cupertino, California

2019 mean household income: $206,009
2022 mean household income: $283,063
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,300.65
Average monthly rent: $3,683.50
Income needed: $167,619.55

Bainbridge Island, Washington

2019 mean household income: $144,868
2022 mean household income: $214,501
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $2,853.02
Average monthly rent: $3,082.67
Income needed: $142,456.53

Today’s Top Offers

Los Altos, California

2019 mean household income: $326,456
2022 mean household income: $400,817
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,306.51
Average monthly rent: $6,031.25
Income needed: $224,106.16

Issaquah, Washington

2019 mean household income: $137,332
2022 mean household income: $196,431
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $2,934.53
Average monthly rent: $2,592.65
Income needed: $132,652.34

Menlo Park, California

2019 mean household income: $241,222
2022 mean household income: $316,584
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,318.87
Average monthly rent: $3,596.39
Income needed: $165,966.37

Palo Alto, California

2019 mean household income: $232,529
2022 mean household income: $301,226
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,286.90
Average monthly rent: $3,621.81
Income needed: $165,809.17

Saratoga, California

2019 mean household income: $257,441
2022 mean household income: $329,142
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,369.20
Average monthly rent: $4,930.00
Income needed: $199,180.69

Santa Clara, California

2019 mean household income: $150,572
2022 mean household income: $206,379
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,207.38
Average monthly rent: $3,132.46
Income needed: $152,156.10

Lafayette, California

2019 mean household income: $250,550
2022 mean household income: $312,233
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,243.51
Average monthly rent: $3,416.22
Income needed: $159,833.60

Pictured: Walnut Creek, CA

Mercer Island, Washington

2019 mean household income: $224,619
2022 mean household income: $290,655
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $2,927.67
Average monthly rent: $2,461.76
Income needed: $129,346.30

Sammamish, Washington

2019 mean household income: $210,573
2022 mean household income: $261,753
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,008.66
Average monthly rent: $3,094.55
Income needed: $146,476.97

Needham, Massachusetts

2019 mean household income: $223,894
2022 mean household income: $267,951
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,099.55
Average monthly rent: $3,294.42
Income needed: $153,455.14

Dublin, California

2019 mean household income: $181,650
2022 mean household income: $228,282
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,263.12
Average monthly rent: $2,995.61
Income needed: $150,209.61

Today’s Top Offers

Westfield, New Jersey

2019 mean household income: $235,067
2022 mean household income: $281,738
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,272.70
Average monthly rent: $2,576.67
Income needed: $140,384.77

San Carlos, California

2019 mean household income: $239,376
2022 mean household income: $298,397
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,389.81
Average monthly rent: $3,656.77
Income needed: $169,118.09

Belmont, Massachusetts

2019 mean household income: $178,083
2022 mean household income: $227,993
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $2,957.33
Average monthly rent: $3,085.42
Income needed: $145,025.97

Naples, Florida

2019 mean household income: $217,838
2022 mean household income: $277,872
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $2,727.05
Average monthly rent: $3,059.51
Income needed: $138,877.33

Lexington, Massachusetts

2019 mean household income: $231,819
2022 mean household income: $281,187
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $2,979.45
Average monthly rent: $3,648.33
Income needed: $159,066.79

Mountain View, California

2019 mean household income: $189,559
2022 mean household income: $239,238
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,234.03
Average monthly rent: $3,639.08
Income needed: $164,954.61

Bellevue, Washington

2019 mean household income: $162,434
2022 mean household income: $208,947
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,072.22
Average monthly rent: $2,500.21
Income needed: $133,738.44

Redmond, Washington

2019 mean household income: $158,114
2022 mean household income: $198,375
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $2,860.68
Average monthly rent: $2,363.57
Income needed: $125,382.00

Fremont, California

2019 mean household income: $160,528
2022 mean household income: $203,058
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,168.55
Average monthly rent: $2,943.07
Income needed: $146,678.98

Sunnyvale, California

2019 mean household income: $179,798
2022 mean household income: $231,726
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,225.62
Average monthly rent: $3,233.19
Income needed: $155,011.57

Princeton, New Jersey

2019 mean household income: $234,375
2022 mean household income: $269,420
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $2,936.44
Average monthly rent: $2,864.39
Income needed: $139,219.84

Today’s Top Offers

Summit, New Jersey

2019 mean household income: $255,160
2022 mean household income: $291,509
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,200.37
Average monthly rent: $3,055.56
Income needed: $150,142.19

Birmingham, Michigan

2019 mean household income: $201,821
2022 mean household income: $234,600
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $2,744.72
Average monthly rent: $2,601.61
Income needed: $128,311.85

Upper Arlington, Ohio

2019 mean household income: $178,324
2022 mean household income: $202,933
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $2,602.47
Average monthly rent: $1,921.67
Income needed: $108,579.21

Northbrook, Illinois

2019 mean household income: $174,808
2022 mean household income: $212,149
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $2,936.00
Average monthly rent: $2,801.39
Income needed: $137,697.52

Milpitas, California

2019 mean household income: $154,559
2022 mean household income: $195,424
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,294.21
Average monthly rent: $3,055.82
Income needed: $152,400.79

Belmont, California

2019 mean household income: $201,232
2022 mean household income: $238,865
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,398.61
Average monthly rent: $2,772.18
Income needed: $148,098.84

Redwood City, California

2019 mean household income: $163,498
2022 mean household income: $211,981
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,333.39
Average monthly rent: $3,364.48
Income needed: $160,748.89

Ridgewood, New Jersey

2019 mean household income: $247,369
2022 mean household income: $277,428
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,332.48
Average monthly rent: $2,768.75
Income needed: $146,429.47

Bethesda, Maryland

2019 mean household income: $237,066
2022 mean household income: $281,586
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,246.15
Average monthly rent: $2,784.65
Income needed: $144,739.25

Danville, California

2019 mean household income: $214,627
2022 mean household income: $264,134
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,232.67
Average monthly rent: $4,202.81
Income needed: $178,451.53

Newton, Massachusetts

2019 mean household income: $207,563
2022 mean household income: $251,210
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,553.86
Average monthly rent: $3,188.54
Income needed: $161,817.63

Pleasanton, California

2019 mean household income: $192,532
2022 mean household income: $230,936
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,207.32
Average monthly rent: $2,933.05
Income needed: $147,368.90

Today’s Top Offers

Campbell, California

2019 mean household income: $157,472
2022 mean household income: $193,966
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,315.52
Average monthly rent: $3,114.47
Income needed: $154,319.70

Pictured: Aerial view of nearby San Jose

Elmhurst, Illinois

2019 mean household income: $163,347
2022 mean household income: $195,697
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $2,904.17
Average monthly rent: $2,634.09
Income needed: $132,918.25

Pictured: Aerial view of nearby Chicago

Prosper, Texas

2019 mean household income: $178,784
2022 mean household income: $215,851
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $2,769.54
Average monthly rent: $2,001.79
Income needed: $114,511.98

Pictured: Frisco, TX

Brookline, Massachusetts

2019 mean household income: $171,664
2022 mean household income: $211,322
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,143.12
Average monthly rent: $4,178.82
Income needed: $175,726.61

Foster City, California

2019 mean household income: $185,716
2022 mean household income: $234,829
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,411.55
Average monthly rent: $3,381.18
Income needed: $163,025.73

Pictured: Aerial view of nearby Fremont, CA

San Ramon, California

2019 mean household income: $186,911
2022 mean household income: $224,236
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,286.05
Average monthly rent: $2,943.00
Income needed: $149,497.16

Burlingame, California

2019 mean household income: $183,137
2022 mean household income: $224,228
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,393.53
Average monthly rent: $2,899.72
Income needed: $151,037.82

Lake Oswego, Oregon

2019 mean household income: $161,177
2022 mean household income: $195,728
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $2,988.24
Average monthly rent: $2,090.50
Income needed: $121,889.73

Keller, Texas

2019 mean household income: $176,640
2022 mean household income: $204,680
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $2,914.11
Average monthly rent: $1,839.82
Income needed: $114,094.34

Encinitas, California

2019 mean household income: $163,894
2022 mean household income: $198,797
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $2,993.92
Average monthly rent: $4,030.81
Income needed: $168,593.58

Lakeway, Texas

2019 mean household income: $170,385
2022 mean household income: $204,150
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $2,896.69
Average monthly rent: $3,045.83
Income needed: $142,620.67

Pictured: Aerial view of nearby Austin, TX

Today’s Top Offers

Edina, Minnesota

2019 mean household income: $166,779
2022 mean household income: $194,947
Monthly non-rent expenditures: $2,672.07
Average monthly rent: $1,765.84
Income needed: $106,510.00

Methodology: For this piece, GOBankingRates first took the 100 cities with the highest mean household income and with a minimum of 7,500 total households sourced from the 2022 American Community Survey as conducted by the US Census Bureau. With these cities selected, GOBankingRates then found each cities: (1) 2019 mean household income; (2) 2022 mean household income; (3) three-year percent change in mean household income; (4) 2019 percent of population with a household income of $200,000+; (5) 2022 percent of population with a household income of $200,000+; and (6) three-year percent change in population with a household income of $200,000+. GOBankingRates also found the average rent during December 2023 as sourced from the Zillow Observed Rental Index, Livability Index as sourced from AreaVibes, the cost of living indexes as sourced from Sperling’s BestPlaces, and the national average expenditure cost for married couple with kids as sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey. The cost of living indexes were multiplied by the average expenditure costs to find the average costs for families for each expenditure for each city on the list. The livability index was scored, the 2022 median household income was scored, three-year percent change in Mean Household Income was scored, three-year percent change in Population with income $200k+ was scored, Leftover Savings from Mean Income after Income Needed is Paid was scored and all scores were combined and sorted to show the cities where it’s getting easier for families to make ends meet. All data was collected and is up to date as of May 6, 2024.

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