10 Cities Where Renters Pay $10K or More in ‘Singles Tax’
Written by
Travis Woods
Edited by
Rebekah Evans
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You’ll never find the term “singles tax” as part of any official governmental tax code and yet it’s a very real cost incurred by millions of Americans — perhaps even you. Moreover, some cities have a far, far heftier singles tax than others.
The term “singles tax” is an informal designation for the extra housing costs incurred by those who choose to live alone as a solo renter, rather than with a partner, family or friends as roommates. While living alone comes with myriad perks — privacy, peace and quiet and no fighting over the remote control — it also requires you to bear the full brunt of rental cost. That’s on the opposite end of the rental spectrum, where couples who cohabitate get to enjoy the “couples’ discount”: the amount both people save by living with their partner (there is the added cost of the remote control fights, though).
Zillow calculated the most expensive American cities to live in solo and pay the singles tax. New York City was unsurprisingly present in the top 10, thanks to that metropolis being America’s most expensive rental market. There are a number of other cities on the “highest singles tax list,” though, that may surprise you.
1. New York City
- Singles tax: $23,400
- Couples discount: $46,800
2. San Jose, California
- Singles tax: $19,488
- Couples discount: $38,976
3. Boston
- Singles tax: $18,084
- Couples discount: $36,168
4. San Francisco
- Singles tax: $17,142
- Couples discount: $34,284
5. Los Angeles
- Singles tax: $15,888
- Couples discount: $31,776
6. San Diego
- Singles tax: $15,858
- Couples discount: $31,716
7. Miami
- Singles tax: $14,658
- Couples discount: $29,316
8. Riverside, California
- Singles tax: $13,458
- Couples discount: $29,916
9. Washington, D.C.
- Singles tax: $13,380
- Couples discount: $26,760
10. Seattle
- Singles tax: $12,372
- Couples discount: $24,744
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