Quick answer
Pick your salary to see which of 98 US cities are affordable (under 30% rent burden), which are stretched, and which are unaffordable. At $80K, 65 cities are comfortable. At $120K, 91 cities.
Affordability Calculator · 2026
What Can You Afford?
Every US salary × every major city. Uses effective federal + state tax and median 1BR rent. Pick your salary to see all 98 cities ranked from most comfortable to most unaffordable.
Pick Your Salary
| Salary | Gross/mo | Comfortable cities | Unaffordable cities |
|---|---|---|---|
| $25K/year → | $2,083 | 0 / 98 | 98 / 98 |
| $30K/year → | $2,500 | 0 / 98 | 98 / 98 |
| $35K/year → | $2,917 | 0 / 98 | 95 / 98 |
| $40K/year → | $3,333 | 0 / 98 | 82 / 98 |
| $45K/year → | $3,750 | 0 / 98 | 61 / 98 |
| $50K/year → | $4,167 | 1 / 98 | 58 / 98 |
| $55K/year → | $4,583 | 7 / 98 | 49 / 98 |
| $60K/year → | $5,000 | 21 / 98 | 33 / 98 |
| $65K/year → | $5,417 | 35 / 98 | 23 / 98 |
| $70K/year → | $5,833 | 46 / 98 | 20 / 98 |
| $75K/year → | $6,250 | 53 / 98 | 15 / 98 |
| $80K/year → | $6,667 | 65 / 98 | 13 / 98 |
| $90K/year → | $7,500 | 77 / 98 | 7 / 98 |
| $100K/year → | $8,333 | 83 / 98 | 6 / 98 |
| $110K/year → | $9,167 | 86 / 98 | 3 / 98 |
| $120K/year → | $10,000 | 91 / 98 | 2 / 98 |
| $150K/year → | $12,500 | 96 / 98 | 0 / 98 |
| $175K/year → | $14,583 | 96 / 98 | 0 / 98 |
| $200K/year → | $16,667 | 97 / 98 | 0 / 98 |
| $250K/year → | $20,833 | 98 / 98 | 0 / 98 |
"Comfortable" = rent < 30% of take-home. "Unaffordable" = rent ≥ 40% of take-home.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good salary to live comfortably in the US?
For a solo renter, $65K-$85K gets you comfortable 1BR living in most Midwest/Southern US cities. $100K-$120K for most Sun Belt metros (Austin, Nashville, Tampa). $150K-$200K+ needed for coastal metros (SF, NYC, LA, San Diego). The full breakdown by salary and city is in our calculator below.
What is the 30% rule for rent?
Classic personal finance guideline: spend no more than 30% of your take-home (after-tax) income on rent. Below 30% = comfortable. 30-40% = stretched but workable. Over 40% = unsustainable long-term — you'll struggle to save. The rule gets loose at very high incomes (a 45% rent burden on $300K is still plenty to live on).
How do I calculate take-home pay by state?
Start with gross salary, subtract effective federal tax (~15% at $45K, ~22% at $100K, ~28% at $200K+), then subtract state income tax (0% in TX/FL/TN/NV/WA/AK, 4-6% in most moderate states, 9-11% in CA/OR/NY top brackets). FICA (7.65%) also applies but most people exclude it when talking "take-home". Our calculator uses effective rates, not marginal.
Where can I afford to buy a home on my salary?
For home-buying specifically, use the rent-vs-buy calculator (/rent-vs-buy) — it factors property tax and insurance by state. General rule: household income × 4-5 = max home price with 20% down at current 6.8% mortgage rates. $100K income → $400-500K home is reasonable. Cheaper in no-tax states with low property tax (TN, SC, AL).