Here’s How Far the Median Income Goes in America’s Largest Cities

As the cost of living continues to rise, many Americans may wonder how far their salary goes in the largest U.S. cities. While new data from GOBankingRates reveals the median income isn’t enough to cover living costs in every major metro, you may be surprised by the locations where it is enough money. The median income in five major California cities — including the notoriously expensive Bay Area hotspots San Francisco and Oakland — covers each spot’s living expenses.

The GOBankingRates’ research team analyzed the most populated U.S. cities, sourcing key factors like household median income, the cost-of-living indexes and average expenditure costs. Each city’s monthly and annual cost of living was calculated using the average expenditure and mortgage costs. The average annual cost of living and median household income were then used to calculate the amount of coverage this income can cover in each location.

• Los Angeles, not San Francisco, ranks as the least affordable city for median income earners. The median income is $80,336, covering just 79% of living expenses and resulting in a negative savings of $21,634 after this income pays the cost of living.
• Los Angeles, Miami and New York’s median income covers up to just 85% of living expenses. These locations ranked as the top three cities with the least affordable median income, with every city experiencing negative savings after earnings covered living costs: Los Angeles ($21,634), Miami ($15,324) and New York ($14,598).
• Seven Texas cities, the most out of any state, were among the 45 cities where the median income covers 100% or more of living expenses. These include Dallas (#23), Houston (#26), Austin (#29), El Paso (#35), San Antonio (#38), Arlington (#39) and Fort Worth (#47).
• There are five surprising California cities where earning a median income does cover 100% or more of expenses: San Francisco (#8), Oakland (#9), Fresno (#13), Sacramento (#19) and Bakersfield (#31). 

Ranked from least affordable to most affordable, let’s see how far the median income goes in America’s largest cities.

• % of living expenses covered by income: 79%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: -$21,634
• Household median income: $80,366
• Annual cost of living: $102,000
• Monthly cost of living: $8,500

• % of living expenses covered by income: 80%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: -$15,324
• Household median income: $59,390
• Annual cost of living: $74,714
• Monthly cost of living: $6,226

• % of living expenses covered by income: 85%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: -$14,598
• Household median income: $79,713
• Annual cost of living: $94,311
• Monthly cost of living: $7,859

• % of living expenses covered by income: 90%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: -$9,397
• Household median income: $83,969
• Annual cost of living: $93,366
• Monthly cost of living: $7,780

• % of living expenses covered by income: 96%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: -$4,430
• Household median income: $104,321
• Annual cost of living: $108,751
• Monthly cost of living: $9,063

• % of living expenses covered by income: 99.6%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: -$624
• Household median income: $141,565
• Annual cost of living: $142,189
• Monthly cost of living: $11,849

• % of living expenses covered by income: 107%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: $6,323
• Household median income: $94,755
• Annual cost of living: $88,432
• Monthly cost of living: $7,369

• % of living expenses covered by income: 107%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: $9,447
• Household median income: $141,446
• Annual cost of living: $131,999
• Monthly cost of living: $11,000

• % of living expenses covered by income: 113%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: $10,972
• Household median income: $97,369
• Annual cost of living: $86,397
• Monthly cost of living: $7,200

• % of living expenses covered by income: 116%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: $7,425
• Household median income: $54,546
• Annual cost of living: $47,121
• Monthly cost of living: $3,927

• % of living expenses covered by income: 120%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: $6,606
• Household median income: $39,575
• Annual cost of living: $32,969
• Monthly cost of living: $2,747

• % of living expenses covered by income: 120%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: $11,958
• Household median income: $70,723
• Annual cost of living: $58,765
• Monthly cost of living: $4,897

• % of living expenses covered by income: 126%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: $13,804
• Household median income: $66,804
• Annual cost of living: $53,000
• Monthly cost of living: $4,417

• % of living expenses covered by income: 128%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: $23,449
• Household median income: $106,287
• Annual cost of living: $82,838
• Monthly cost of living: $6,903

• % of living expenses covered by income: 130%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: $28,000
• Household median income: $121,984
• Annual cost of living: $93,984
• Monthly cost of living: $7,832

• % of living expenses covered by income: 131%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: $12,217
• Household median income: $51,888
• Annual cost of living: $39,671
• Monthly cost of living: $3,306

• % of living expenses covered by income: 134%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: $18,029
• Household median income: $71,302
• Annual cost of living: $53,273
• Monthly cost of living: $4,439

• % of living expenses covered by income: 135%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: $23,043
• Household median income: $88,792
• Annual cost of living: $65,749
• Monthly cost of living: $5,479

• % of living expenses covered by income: 136%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: $22,158
• Household median income: $83,753
• Annual cost of living: $61,595
• Monthly cost of living: $5,133

• % of living expenses covered by income: 136%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: $24,332
• Household median income: $91,681
• Annual cost of living: $67,349
• Monthly cost of living: $5,612

• % of living expenses covered by income: 138%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: $23,255
• Household median income: $84,320
• Annual cost of living: $61,065
• Monthly cost of living: $5,089

• % of living expenses covered by income: 138%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: $16,759
• Household median income: $60,698
• Annual cost of living: $43,939
• Monthly cost of living: $3,662

• % of living expenses covered by income: 139%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: $18,847
• Household median income: $67,760
• Annual cost of living: $48,913
• Monthly cost of living: $4,076

• % of living expenses covered by income: 139%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: $22,024
• Household median income: $78,779
• Annual cost of living: $56,755
• Monthly cost of living: $4,730

• % of living expenses covered by income: 139%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: $21,646
• Household median income: $77,041
• Annual cost of living: $55,395
• Monthly cost of living: $4,616

• % of living expenses covered by income: 141%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: $18,162
• Household median income: $62,894
• Annual cost of living: $44,732
• Monthly cost of living: $3,728

• % of living expenses covered by income: 141%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: $18,975
• Household median income: $65,604
• Annual cost of living: $46,629
• Monthly cost of living: $3,886

• % of living expenses covered by income: 141%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: $23,810
• Household median income: $81,938
• Annual cost of living: $58,128
• Monthly cost of living: $4,844

• % of living expenses covered by income: 143%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: $27,264
• Household median income: $91,461
• Annual cost of living: $64,197
• Monthly cost of living: $5,350

• % of living expenses covered by income: 146%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: $20,980
• Household median income: $66,981
• Annual cost of living: $46,001
• Monthly cost of living: $3,833

• % of living expenses covered by income: 146%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: $24,346
• Household median income: $77,397
• Annual cost of living: $53,051
• Monthly cost of living: $4,421

• % of living expenses covered by income: 148%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: $25,308
• Household median income: $78,438
• Annual cost of living: $53,130
• Monthly cost of living: $4,428

• % of living expenses covered by income: 148%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: $27,147
• Household median income: $83,198
• Annual cost of living: $56,051
• Monthly cost of living: $4,671

• % of living expenses covered by income: 149%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: $26,946
• Household median income: $82,424
• Annual cost of living: $55,478
• Monthly cost of living: $4,623

• % of living expenses covered by income: 150%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: $19,461
• Household median income: $58,734
• Annual cost of living: $39,273
• Monthly cost of living: $3,273

• % of living expenses covered by income: 150%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: $19,424
• Household median income: $58,407
• Annual cost of living: $38,983
• Monthly cost of living: $3,249

• % of living expenses covered by income: 151%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: $17,313
• Household median income: $51,211
• Annual cost of living: $33,898
• Monthly cost of living: $2,825

• % of living expenses covered by income: 151%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: $21,284
• Household median income: $62,917
• Annual cost of living: $41,633
• Monthly cost of living: $3,469

• % of living expenses covered by income: 153%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: $25,543
• Household median income: $73,519
• Annual cost of living: $47,976
• Monthly cost of living: $3,998

• % of living expenses covered by income: 154%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: $22,789
• Household median income: $65,327
• Annual cost of living: $42,538
• Monthly cost of living: $3,545

• % of living expenses covered by income: 154%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: $21,015
• Household median income: $59,623
• Annual cost of living: $38,608
• Monthly cost of living: $3,217

• % of living expenses covered by income: 155%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: $26,708
• Household median income: $75,134
• Annual cost of living: $48,426
• Monthly cost of living: $4,035

• % of living expenses covered by income: 158%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: $23,134
• Household median income: $62,995
• Annual cost of living: $39,861
• Monthly cost of living: $3,322

• % of living expenses covered by income: 161%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: $27,605
• Household median income: $72,708
• Annual cost of living: $45,103
• Monthly cost of living: $3,759

• % of living expenses covered by income: 162%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: $25,869
• Household median income: $67,449
• Annual cost of living: $41,580
• Monthly cost of living: $3,465

• % of living expenses covered by income: 163%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: $30,927
• Household median income: $80,269
• Annual cost of living: $49,342
• Monthly cost of living: $4,112

• % of living expenses covered by income: 163%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: $29,710
• Household median income: $76,602
• Annual cost of living: $46,892
• Monthly cost of living: $3,908

• % of living expenses covered by income: 164%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: $35,473
• Household median income: $90,685
• Annual cost of living: $55,212
• Monthly cost of living: $4,601

• % of living expenses covered by income: 168%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: $25,418
• Household median income: $63,072
• Annual cost of living: $37,654
• Monthly cost of living: $3,138

• % of living expenses covered by income: 172%
• Savings remaining after income covers living costs: $27,898
• Household median income: $66,702
• Annual cost of living: $38,804
• Monthly cost of living: $3,234

Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed the most populated cities, as sourced from the U.S. Census American Community Survey. Cost-of-living living indexes were sourced from Sperling’s BestPlaces. Using the cost of living indexes and the national average expenditure costs, as sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey, the average expenditure cost for each location was calculated. Mortgage costs were determined using Zillow Home Value Index for May 2025 and the Federal Reserve Economic Data. Using the average mortgage and average expenditure costs, the average cost of living was calculated. All data was collected on and is up to date as of July 3, 2025.