Advertiser Disclosure

10 Large Cities Where $100K Will Get You the Least — 4 Are in California

March 1, 2025

2 min Read

Written by Nicole Spector

Edited by Molly Sullivan

Aerial view of the coastal community of La Jolla, California approximately 10 miles north of downtown San Diego shot via helicopter from an altitude of about 300 feet over the Pacific Ocean.

Art Wager / Getty Images

Commitment to Our Readers

GOBankingRates' editorial team is committed to bringing you unbiased reviews and information. We use data-driven methodologies to evaluate financial products and services - our reviews and ratings are not influenced by advertisers. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and our products and services review methodology.

20 Years
Helping You Live Richer

Reviewed
by Experts

Trusted by
Millions of Readers

Making $100,000 a year in the U.S. means, generally, that you’re doing pretty good. You’re making far more than the median salary, which worked out to $61,984 per year in the fourth quarter of 2024. But where you live plays a crucial role in how far your paycheck goes. A hundred-thousand dollars a year simply doesn’t have the same power in Cambridge, Massachusetts, that it has in Rainelle, West Virginia.

In which cities will a $100,000 salary run out the fastest? New research by SmartAsset found the value of $100,000 in 69 of the largest U.S. cities for 2025, after factoring in applicable taxes and local cost of living premiums. These are the 10 cities where a $100,000 salary will be eaten up the quickest. Unsurprisingly, four of these major metros are in California, which is, after Hawaii, the second most expensive state in the U.S.