• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

2

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic

3

Amazon's record Prime Day masks a darker truth: Americans are spending more and getting less

1

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

2

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic

3

Amazon's record Prime Day masks a darker truth: Americans are spending more and getting less
Personal FinanceInflation

What lifestyle a $100,000 salary can afford you in 10 major cities—including NYC, where it’s like making $35,000

By
Chloe Berger
Chloe Berger
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Chloe Berger
Chloe Berger
Down Arrow Button Icon
March 17, 2023, 1:29 PM ET
In New York City, a $100,000 salary is like taking home $35,000.
In New York City, a $100,000 salary is like taking home $35,000.Alexi Rosenfeld—Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

A bunch of Frozen-themed stickers might be thrilling for 6-year-olds, but less of a hit for your direct reports. That’s all to say: The worth of something is always relative to its context. 

That sentiment can apply to a $100,000 salary, which has long been hailed as the benchmark for financial success or, at the very least, stability. Some of the biggest costs in any household, from housing to weekly groceries, vary based on location—especially in today’s era of high inflation (even if it is ebbing a bit). So even a salary as high as $100,000 can stretch further in some places than others.

SmartAsset recently calculated just how much $100,000 is actually worth in 76 of the largest U.S. metro areas based on post-tax take-home pay per paycheck, adjusted for cost of living. You may or may not want to see how much you’re actually taking home, depending on where you live.

$100,000 stretches the furthest in the midwest and the south; seven of the top 10 cities are in Texas. But coming in number one is the home of Graceland and star of Paul Simon’s song: Memphis, Tenn., where your $100,000 salary is actually equivalent to $86,400 after taxes and adjusted for cost of living. These are the top five major U.S cities where you’ll get the most out of $100,000:

  1. Memphis, Tenn. 
    • $86,444
  1. El Paso, Texas
    • $84,966
  1. Oklahoma City, Okla.
    • $84,498
  1. Corpus Christi, Texas
    • $83,443
  1. Lubbock, Texas
    • $83,350

Meanwhile, workers living on the coast aren’t getting as much out of $100,000. It may come as no surprise that New York City and San Francisco, the two most notoriously expensive cities in the world, are among the top five places where $100,000 depreciates the most:

  1. New York, N.Y.
    • $35,791
  1. Honolulu, Hawaii 
    • $36,026
  1. San Francisco, Calif.
    • $36,445
  1. Washington, D.C.
    • $44,307
  1. Long Beach, Calif.
    • $44,623

Coastal cities, which are often superstar cities, are typically more expensive than their midsize peers (although the latter got pricier as more urbanites fled bigger cities for smaller ones during the pandemic). But there’s a lack of data on expenses for people in rural areas; since inflation is often measured by the consumer price index, which looks at how the prices in goods for urban Americans change, there’s a bit of a blind spot, economists Stephen Wiler and Tessa Conroy explain for The Conversation.

Even if your money stretches further in rural areas, there are tradeoffs, they add. That might look like driving further to get groceries and get to the hospital (therefore paying high gas prices), and having less flexibility and fewer options as food costs rise. While rural Americans often own their homes more than city dwellers, they said, they’re more vulnerable to heating and cooling costs due to poorer quality of housing. 

But regardless of where you live, earning $100,000 just doesn’t seem to go as far as it once did. While the middle class often feels the blow of inflation more keenly than higher-income individuals, wealthier Americans aren’t immune to its effects—nearly half (64%) felt they were living paycheck to paycheck last year, per a PYMNTS report, more than those who said the same in 2021.

Still, that stress could be assuaged some based on where you choose to rest your head at night. Just look at Zillow, and you’ll find either a palace or a little apartment for the same price range depending on the ZIP code.

Subscribe to Well Adjusted, our newsletter full of simple strategies to work smarter and live better, from the Fortune Well team. Sign up today.
About the Author
By Chloe Berger
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Personal Finance

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Personal Finance

Students happy outside of school
SuccessColleges and Universities
One U.S. college is fixing tuition at just 10% of parental income: ‘We’re not hiding the cost of college behind secret formulas’
By Emma BurleighJune 25, 2026
5 hours ago
Personal Liability Insurance for Homeowners: Coverage and Common Exclusions Explained
Personal FinanceInsurance
Personal Liability Insurance for Homeowners: Coverage and Common Exclusions Explained
By Joseph HostetlerJune 25, 2026
5 hours ago
Business Owner’s Policy (BOP) Insurance: The Smart Coverage Bundle Many Small Businesses Overlook
Personal FinanceInsurance
Business Owner’s Policy (BOP) Insurance: The Smart Coverage Bundle Many Small Businesses Overlook
By Joseph HostetlerJune 25, 2026
5 hours ago
What Is General Liability Insurance for Small Businesses?
Personal FinanceInsurance
What Is General Liability Insurance for Small Businesses?
By Joseph HostetlerJune 25, 2026
5 hours ago
TIAA CEO Thasunda Brown Ducket
SuccessFortune 500: Titans and Disruptors of Industry
TIAA’s CEO made $26,000 in her first job but still maxed out her 401(k). She has advice for Gen Z
By Emma BurleighJune 25, 2026
6 hours ago
Top CD rates from major banks June 25, 2026: Chase CDs, Bank of America CDs, Citibank CDs, and more
Personal FinanceCertificates of Deposit (CDs)
Top CD rates from major banks on June 25, 2026: Chase CDs, Bank of America CDs, Citibank CDs, and more
By Joseph HostetlerJune 25, 2026
7 hours ago

Most Popular

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
Success
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
By Sydney LakeJune 25, 2026
13 hours ago
Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
Success
Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 24, 2026
2 days ago
Amazon's record Prime Day masks a darker truth: Americans are spending more and getting less
Retail
Amazon's record Prime Day masks a darker truth: Americans are spending more and getting less
By Nick LichtenbergJune 24, 2026
1 day ago
Ray Dalio just finished a 10-day trip to China. He says global leaders know America ‘doesn’t have what it takes to fight to maintain its empire’
Asia
Ray Dalio just finished a 10-day trip to China. He says global leaders know America ‘doesn’t have what it takes to fight to maintain its empire’
By Nick LichtenbergJune 24, 2026
1 day ago
After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup
Success
After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 23, 2026
2 days ago
Ikea’s billionaire founder was so frugal that he bought clothes from flea markets and took free salt and pepper from restaurants
Success
Ikea’s billionaire founder was so frugal that he bought clothes from flea markets and took free salt and pepper from restaurants
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 25, 2026
13 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.