Quick answer
On a $100K salary, 64 of 75 US cities are affordable (under 30% rent burden), and 6 are unaffordable (over 40%). Cheapest: Memphis at 15% rent. Most expensive: New York at 57%.
Affordability · 2026
What Can I Afford on $100K?
Every US city ranked by rent burden at a $100K salary. Take-home pay uses real federal + state tax rates. Rent % is based on median 1BR in each city; green = under 30% (comfortable), red = over 40% (unaffordable).
Last updated: April 23, 2026
51
Comfortable
<25% rent
13
Affordable
25–29%
5
Stretched
30–39%
6
Unaffordable
40%+
Every City Ranked (best to worst)
| City | Take-home/mo | 1BR rent | Rent % | After essentials |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MemphisTN | $6,500 | $980 | 15% | $5,045 |
| Oklahoma CityOK | $6,104 | $920 | 15% | $4,709 |
| WichitaKS | $6,025 | $900 | 15% | $4,585 |
| MobileAL | $6,083 | $1,000 | 16% | $4,533 |
| Little RockAR | $6,133 | $1,000 | 16% | $4,603 |
| IndianapolisIN | $6,246 | $1,050 | 17% | $4,716 |
| DetroitMI | $6,146 | $1,050 | 17% | $4,596 |
| ClevelandOH | $6,168 | $1,050 | 17% | $4,638 |
| OmahaNE | $6,013 | $1,050 | 17% | $4,488 |
| TucsonAZ | $6,292 | $1,080 | 17% | $4,717 |
| AlbuquerqueNM | $6,092 | $1,050 | 17% | $4,572 |
| SpokaneWA | $6,500 | $1,100 | 17% | $4,865 |
| Kansas CityMO | $6,050 | $1,100 | 18% | $4,470 |
| San AntonioTX | $6,500 | $1,180 | 18% | $4,805 |
| St. LouisMO | $6,088 | $1,100 | 18% | $4,508 |
| LouisvilleKY | $6,125 | $1,080 | 18% | $4,570 |
| CincinnatiOH | $6,168 | $1,100 | 18% | $4,588 |
| KnoxvilleTN | $6,500 | $1,200 | 18% | $4,785 |
| TallahasseeFL | $6,500 | $1,200 | 18% | $4,745 |
| BuffaloNY | $5,958 | $1,100 | 18% | $4,323 |
| RochesterNY | $5,958 | $1,050 | 18% | $4,378 |
| LexingtonKY | $6,167 | $1,100 | 18% | $4,537 |
| AnchorageAK | $6,500 | $1,200 | 18% | $4,595 |
| ColumbusOH | $6,168 | $1,180 | 19% | $4,508 |
| ChattanoogaTN | $6,500 | $1,250 | 19% | $4,720 |
| BirminghamAL | $6,083 | $1,150 | 19% | $4,383 |
| Des MoinesIA | $6,100 | $1,150 | 19% | $4,410 |
| HoustonTX | $6,500 | $1,280 | 20% | $4,680 |
| PittsburghPA | $6,244 | $1,280 | 20% | $4,474 |
| MilwaukeeWI | $5,863 | $1,150 | 20% | $4,213 |
| Fort WorthTX | $6,500 | $1,280 | 20% | $4,700 |
| JacksonvilleFL | $6,500 | $1,280 | 20% | $4,730 |
| Las VegasNV | $6,500 | $1,350 | 21% | $4,625 |
| New OrleansLA | $6,146 | $1,280 | 21% | $4,331 |
| PhoenixAZ | $6,292 | $1,380 | 22% | $4,372 |
| DallasTX | $6,500 | $1,450 | 22% | $4,520 |
| RichmondVA | $6,021 | $1,320 | 22% | $4,211 |
| RenoNV | $6,500 | $1,450 | 22% | $4,530 |
| NashvilleTN | $6,500 | $1,520 | 23% | $4,465 |
| CharlotteNC | $6,125 | $1,420 | 23% | $4,215 |
| BoiseID | $6,017 | $1,380 | 23% | $4,157 |
| Virginia BeachVA | $6,021 | $1,400 | 23% | $4,066 |
| FresnoCA | $5,958 | $1,400 | 23% | $3,968 |
| RaleighNC | $6,125 | $1,480 | 24% | $4,150 |
| MinneapolisMN | $5,679 | $1,380 | 24% | $3,784 |
| OrlandoFL | $6,500 | $1,580 | 24% | $4,415 |
| Salt Lake CityUT | $6,113 | $1,450 | 24% | $4,163 |
| MadisonWI | $5,863 | $1,380 | 24% | $3,983 |
| SavannahGA | $6,051 | $1,450 | 24% | $4,041 |
| Colorado SpringsCO | $6,133 | $1,450 | 24% | $4,123 |
| EugeneOR | $5,792 | $1,400 | 24% | $3,832 |
| AustinTX | $6,500 | $1,650 | 25% | $4,295 |
| AshevilleNC | $6,125 | $1,550 | 25% | $4,035 |
| TampaFL | $6,500 | $1,680 | 26% | $4,300 |
| BaltimoreMD | $6,021 | $1,550 | 26% | $3,941 |
| St. PetersburgFL | $6,500 | $1,700 | 26% | $4,210 |
| HartfordCT | $6,042 | $1,550 | 26% | $3,917 |
| AtlantaGA | $6,043 | $1,650 | 27% | $3,868 |
| ProvidenceRI | $6,125 | $1,650 | 27% | $3,895 |
| DenverCO | $6,133 | $1,740 | 28% | $3,878 |
| PortlandOR | $5,675 | $1,590 | 28% | $3,565 |
| SacramentoCA | $5,392 | $1,580 | 29% | $3,277 |
| PhiladelphiaPA | $6,244 | $1,800 | 29% | $3,894 |
| CharlestonSC | $5,967 | $1,750 | 29% | $3,657 |
| ChicagoIL | $6,088 | $1,850 | 30% | $3,693 |
| SeattleWA | $6,500 | $2,100 | 32% | $3,840 |
| MiamiFL | $6,500 | $2,200 | 34% | $3,705 |
| HonoluluHI | $5,917 | $2,100 | 35% | $2,912 |
| Fort LauderdaleFL | $6,500 | $2,250 | 35% | $3,605 |
| Washington, DCDC | $5,792 | $2,400 | 41% | $2,802 |
| San DiegoCA | $5,392 | $2,250 | 42% | $2,592 |
| BostonMA | $6,083 | $2,600 | 43% | $2,903 |
| Los AngelesCA | $5,392 | $2,400 | 45% | $2,412 |
| San FranciscoCA | $5,392 | $2,800 | 52% | $2,007 |
| New YorkNY | $5,592 | $3,200 | 57% | $1,747 |
Take-home uses effective federal tax + state tax. Essentials = rent + utilities + groceries. Click a city for the full breakdown.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many US cities are affordable on a $100K salary?
Of 75 major US cities we track, 64 are affordable (rent under 30% of take-home) on $100K. 6 are unaffordable (rent over 40% of take-home). The most affordable: Memphis at 15% rent burden. The least: New York at 57%.
What's take-home pay on $100K by state?
Federal effective tax at $100K is about 22%. State tax varies 0–11%. In no-tax states (TX, FL, TN, WA, NV, AK), take-home is $6,500/month. In California (~9.3% effective), it drops to $5,725/month — a $775/month difference.
Is $100K a good salary to live on in 2026?
Depends entirely on city. In Memphis or similar cheap metros, $100K is comfortable with room to save. In SF, NYC, or coastal California, $100K often means roommates or sub-urban rent. The table below ranks all 75 cities from most comfortable to most stretched at this salary.