By Jaclyn DeJohn | CFP for SmartAsset

A $100,000 salary may sound like a comfortable income but how far it goes varies largely depending on where you live. Earning $100,000 places an individual tax filer at the upper limit of the 22% federal tax bracket.

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On top of that, FICA taxes for Social Security and Medicare apply, and depending on where you live, state and local income taxes could take another bite. But taxes aren’t the only factor. The cost of living varies widely across the country, affecting how much purchasing power remains after necessary expenses.

Given these factors, understanding where $100,000 stretches the furthest—and where it may fall short—can be crucial for budgeting and long-term financial planning.

With this in mind, SmartAsset determined the value of $100,000 in 69 of the largest U.S. cities for 2025, after accounting for applicable taxes and local cost of living premiums.

Key Findings

$100k goes least far in New York City’s borough of Manhattan, with only $30,362 spending power. After accounting for federal taxes, particularly high local taxes, and a cost of living 130.6% higher than the national average, a $100k salary goes least far in The Big Apple. Even after accounting for inflation, the value of $100k in 2024 was higher at $30,914. This year’s second- and third-place cities where $100k is worth the least are Honolulu ($38,609) and San Francisco ($42,128).
$100k goes furthest in these Texas and Oklahoma cities. Oklahoma City ($89,989), El Paso ($89,114), Corpus Christi ($88,015); and Tulsa ($87,439) ranked at the top of places where $100k stretches furthest. Texas has the advantage of no state or local income taxes, while Oklahoma’s particularly low cost of living is enough to offset the state-imposed income tax and then some.
$100k is now going further in these cities. The value of $100k increased by 6.6% year over year in Charlotte, North Carolina, to $81,780. Plano, Texas, saw a 6.4% increase to $71,372. And the value increased 6.3% to $73,358 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Spokane, Washington; Washington, D.C.; and Indianapolis also saw the value of $100k improve, among others.
The value of $100k dropped most year over year in New York City’s borough of Queens. The value of $100k dropped by 6.5% year over year, from $49,978 to $46,708. This can mostly be attributed to an increase in the relative cost of living in Queens. Other cities where the value of $100k dropped most include Durham, North Carolina ($71,371); Phoenix ($71,688); Columbus, Ohio ($77,647); and Miami ($64,991).

SmartAsset

10 Cities Where $100k Is Worth the Least

Cities are ranked based on the value of $100,000 after accounting for taxes and local cost-of-living premiums.

Manhattan, New York

Value of $100k in 2025: $30,362
Value of $100k in 2024: $30,914
Year-over-year change: -1.8%

Honolulu

Value of $100k in 2025: $38,610
Value of $100k in 2024: $39,148
Year-over-year change: -1.4%

San Francisco

Value of $100k in 2025: $42,128
Value of $100k in 2024: $40,997
Year-over-year change: 2.8%

Brooklyn, New York

Value of $100k in 2025: $43,461
Value of $100k in 2024: $43,376
Year-over-year change: 0.2%

Queens, New York

Value of $100k in 2025: $46,708
Value of $100k in 2024: $49,978
Year-over-year change: -6.5%

Los Angeles

Value of $100k in 2025: $47,983
Value of $100k in 2024: $47,762
Year-over-year change: 0.5%

San Diego

Value of $100k in 2025: $49,337
Value of $100k in 2024: $50,082
Year-over-year change: -1.5%

Boston

Value of $100k in 2025: $50,602
Value of $100k in 2024: $50,109
Year-over-year change: 1%

Washington, D.C.

Value of $100k in 2025: $51,339
Value of $100k in 2024: $48,734
Year-over-year change: 5.3%

Oakland, California

Value of $100k in 2025: $52,060
Value of $100k in 2024: $51,237
Year-over-year change: 1.6%

10 Cities Where $100k Is Worth the Most

Cities are ranked based on the value of $100,000 after accounting for taxes and local cost-of-living premiums.

Oklahoma City

Value of $100k in 2025: $89,989
Value of $100k in 2024: $87,585
Year-over-year change: 2.7%

El Paso, Texas

Value of $100k in 2025: $89,114
Value of $100k in 2024: $88,840
Year-over-year change: 0.3%

Corpus Christi, Texas

Value of $100k in 2025: $88,015
Value of $100k in 2024: $86,383
Year-over-year change: 1.9%

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Value of $100k in 2025: $87,439
Value of $100k in 2024: $84,507
Year-over-year change: 3.5%

Memphis, Tennessee

Value of $100k in 2025: $87,427
Value of $100k in 2024: $86,960
Year-over-year change: 0.5%

Lubbock, Texas

Value of $100k in 2025: $86,846
Value of $100k in 2024: $85,065
Year-over-year change: 2.1%

San Antonio

Value of $100k in 2025: $86,084
Value of $100k in 2024: $85,625
Year-over-year change: 0.5%

Jacksonville, Florida

Value of $100k in 2025: $84,509
Value of $100k in 2024: $83,878
Year-over-year change: 0.8%

Houston

Value of $100k in 2025: $83,343
Value of $100k in 2024: $82,986
Year-over-year change: 0.4%

St. Louis

Value of $100k in 2025: $83,082
Value of $100k in 2024: $82,614
Year-over-year change: 0.6%

10 Cities Where the Value of $100k Increased the Most

Cities are ranked based on the percentage increase in value of $100,000 after accounting for taxes and local cost-of-living changes year over year.

Charlotte, North Carolina

Year-over-year change: 6.6%
Value of $100k in 2025: $81,780
Value of $100k in 2024: $76,750

Plano, Texas

Year-over-year change: 6.4%
Value of $100k in 2025: $71,372
Value of $100k in 2024: $67,088

Colorado Springs, Colorado

Year-over-year change: 6.3%
Value of $100k in 2025: $73,358
Value of $100k in 2024: $68,987

Spokane, Washington

Year-over-year change: 5.4%
Value of $100k in 2025: $81,441
Value of $100k in 2024: $77,240

Washington, D.C.

Year-over-year change: 5.3%
Value of $100k in 2025: $51,339
Value of $100k in 2024: $48,734

Indianapolis

Year-over-year change: 4.5%
Value of $100k in 2025: $82,759
Value of $100k in 2024: $79,230

Orlando, Florida

Year-over-year change: 4.2%
Value of $100k in 2025: $81,441
Value of $100k in 2024: $78,168

Portland, Oregon

Year-over-year change: 3.8%
Value of $100k in 2025: $60,427
Value of $100k in 2024: $58,205

Kansas City, Missouri

Year-over-year change: 3.7%
Value of $100k in 2025: $81,258
Value of $100k in 2024: $78,382

Atlanta

Year-over-year change: 3.5%
Value of $100k in 2025: $76,840
Value of $100k in 2024: $74,240

10 Cities Where the Value of $100k Decreased the Most

Cities are ranked based on the percentage increase in value of $100,000 after accounting for taxes and local cost-of-living changes year over year.

Queens, New York

Year-over-year change: -6.5%
Value of $100k in 2025: $46,708
Value of $100k in 2024: $49,978

Durham, North Carolina

Year-over-year change: -4.1%
Value of $100k in 2025: $71,371
Value of $100k in 2024: $74,436

Phoenix

Year-over-year change: -3.1%
Value of $100k in 2025: $71,688
Value of $100k in 2024: $73,984

Columbus, Ohio

Year-over-year change: -3.0%
Value of $100k in 2025: $77,647
Value of $100k in 2024: $80,089

Miami

Year-over-year change: -2.7%
Value of $100k in 2025: $64,991
Value of $100k in 2024: $66,801

Nashville, Tennessee

Year-over-year change: -2.3%
Value of $100k in 2025: $79,543
Value of $100k in 2024: $81,429

New Orleans

Year-over-year change: -1.9%
Value of $100k in 2025: $66,668
Value of $100k in 2024: $67,926

Manhattan, New York

Year-over-year change: -1.8%
Value of $100k in 2025: $30,362
Value of $100k in 2024: $30,914

Mesa, Arizona

Year-over-year change: -1.6%
Value of $100k in 2025: $74,056
Value of $100k in 2024: $75,240

San Diego

Year-over-year change: -1.5%
Value of $100k in 2025: $49,337
Value of $100k in 2024: $50,082

Data and Methodology

This study used SmartAsset’s paycheck calculator to apply federal, state and local taxes to an annual salary of $100,000 for an individual. This online tool calculates your take-home pay per paycheck for both salary and hourly jobs after taking into account federal, FICA, state and local taxes. This take-home income was then adjusted for the local cost of living in 69 of the largest cities in the U.S. using data from the Council for Community and Economic Research. The cost of living takes into account the price of housing, groceries, utilities, transportation, and miscellaneous goods and services. Cost-of-living index data is averaged across 2024.

This story was produced by SmartAsset and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.