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A recent GOBankingRates study examined the best cities to live on a $100,000 salary in each state.
In order to qualify as a “best” city, the total cost of living expenditures could not exceed $100,000.
The cities were analyzed based on the number of households in each and ranked according to livability, amenities, average annual costs for groceries, utilities, transportation, healthcare and miscellaneous expenditures, as well as the locale’s median rent.
According to the study, here are the best cities to make $100,000.
Best Cities to Live a Great Life, Ranked by Comfortability
Pike Creek, Delaware, ranked first for comfortability, with the average difference of median household income and “comfortable income” at an impressive $45,774.
This indicates that expenditures cost much less than $100,000, and the average individual does not need to make the median income to live here comfortably.
The 5 Best Cities to Make $100,000
City
Median Household Income
Income Needed to Live Comfortably
Difference Between Median Household Income and Income Required to Live Comfortably
Top 5 Cities Where You Can Live Comfortably on $100,000
Each city within the study needed to have a median household income higher than the “live comfortably” income to account for the annual cost of necessities, including rent, utilities, groceries and healthcare.
The following five cities ranked the best, with living expenditures costing less than $100,000.
Pike Creek is a census-designated place located 10 miles west of Delaware’s largest city, Wilmington. But the suburb’s difference of median household income and “live comfortably” income is $45,774. With total annual necessities — including rent, groceries, utilities and healthcare — at $38,499, the cost of living in Pike Creek is affordable for the area.
Cinco Ranch, Texas
The downtown skyline and surrounding metropolitan area of Houston, Texas shot from an altitude of about 1500 feet during a helicopter photo flight.
Cinco Ranch is a community based in the city of Houston. Pike Creek’s difference of median household income and “live comfortably” income is just under $2,900 more than Cinco Ranch. However, the median household income of $141,992 leaves residents plenty of cash to cover the annual necessities worth $49,522.
This photo was taken of Baltimore, MD while flying a helicopter at an altitude of 1000 feet above ground level and passing the city on June 12, 2017 while on a photo mission from a promotions company for twelve golfing resorts.
Part of the Washington-Maryland metro area, Severna Park is fewer than 20 miles from Baltimore and about 40 miles from Washington, D.C. Annual rent for the area is $29,412, slightly higher than Maryland’s average rent. The income needed to live comfortably in Severna Park is $98,601, the highest amount in the study’s top five cities.
Photo of a residential neighborhood with large houses in Los Alamos, New Mexico, USA, on a clear blue sky day.
Los Alamos is 33 miles northwest of Santa Fe. The town’s median household income sits right above the state average at $101,399.
However, the cost of living in New Mexico is far cheaper than other metro areas in this study, with Los Alamos’ annual necessities cost at $34,548.
Upper St. Clair, Pennsylvania
Upper St. Clair Pennsylvania farm
Upper St. Clair is an affluent community located 10 miles south of Pittsburgh. The suburb has the smallest difference between median household income and “live comfortably” income at $26,682. Because of its prime location, the income to live comfortably is at a steep $90,019 with an annual necessities cost of $45,010. However, with a livability score of 85, indicating low crime but great education and housing opportunities, this Pennsylvania neighborhood is a great place to raise a family.
Methodology: GOBankingRates determined the best places to live on a $100,000 salary in each state by analyzing cities along these criteria: (1) minimum number of households is 5,000; for less populated states or states with fewer average households per city, 1,000 was the minimum; (2) livability score, sourced from AreaVibes; (3) amenities score, sourced from AreaVibes; (4) itemized cost of living index for groceries, utilities, transportation, healthcare and miscellaneous expenditures, based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Expenditure Survey, which were adjusted to each city’s local cost of living, sourced from Sperling’s Best Places; (5) median rent, sourced from Zillow’s Feb. 2019 rental price index; Trulia was used also for rental data that was unavailable from Zillow. In order to qualify as a “best” city, the total cost of living expenditures could not exceed $100,000. The list of cities was compiled from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2017 American Community Survey and includes all cities the Census Bureau has complete data for.
