Where Does $100,000 Go Furthest in America? — 2026 Study

Data: 2026-Q2 · BLS · HUD · KFF
Key finding

In San Antonio, a $100k salary yields approximately $5,384/month after housing — about 19% more than the 37-city average of $4,512/month.

Explore by salary band

Switch the income band to re-rank all 37 cities by disposable income after rent.

Cities ranked by monthly disposable income after rent at a $100-130k salary.

1San Antonio · TX$6,264/mo2Houston · TX$6,118/mo3Pittsburgh · PA$6,070/mo4Jacksonville · FL$6,059/mo5St. Louis · MO$5,986/mo6Las Vegas · NV$5,963/mo7Detroit · MI$5,911/mo8Columbus · OH$5,911/mo9Indianapolis · IN$5,886/mo10Austin · TX$5,879/mo11Nashville · TN$5,863/mo12Dallas · TX$5,793/mo13Kansas City · MO$5,784/mo14Tampa · FL$5,745/mo15Orlando · FL$5,710/mo16Albuquerque · NM$5,690/mo17Philadelphia · PA$5,627/mo18Phoenix · AZ$5,618/mo19Salt Lake City · UT$5,539/mo20Charlotte · NC$5,495/mo21Miami · FL$5,446/mo22Raleigh · NC$5,437/mo23Chicago · IL$5,385/mo24Baltimore · MD$5,307/mo25Seattle · WA$5,295/mo26Atlanta · GA$5,283/mo27Denver · CO$5,265/mo28Minneapolis · MN$5,092/mo29Portland · OR$4,815/mo30Sacramento · CA$4,717/mo31Washington, DC · DC$4,611/mo32Los Angeles · CA$4,464/mo33New York City · NY$4,129/mo34Boston · MA$4,102/mo35San Diego · CA$4,090/mo36San Francisco · CA$3,572/mo37San Jose · CA$3,567/mo

Full ranking — all 37 cities

1 San Antonio · TX $5,384/mo
2 Houston · TX $5,238/mo
3 Pittsburgh · PA $5,229/mo
4 Jacksonville · FL $5,179/mo
5 St. Louis · MO $5,166/mo
6 Detroit · MI $5,085/mo
7 Las Vegas · NV $5,083/mo
8 Columbus · OH $5,076/mo
9 Indianapolis · IN $5,044/mo
10 Austin · TX $4,999/mo
11 Nashville · TN $4,983/mo
12 Kansas City · MO $4,964/mo
13 Dallas · TX $4,913/mo
14 Albuquerque · NM $4,885/mo
15 Tampa · FL $4,865/mo
16 Orlando · FL $4,830/mo
17 Philadelphia · PA $4,786/mo
18 Phoenix · AZ $4,770/mo
19 Salt Lake City · UT $4,718/mo
20 Charlotte · NC $4,669/mo
21 Raleigh · NC $4,611/mo
22 Chicago · IL $4,568/mo
23 Miami · FL $4,566/mo
24 Baltimore · MD $4,509/mo
25 Atlanta · GA $4,469/mo
26 Denver · CO $4,441/mo
27 Seattle · WA $4,415/mo
28 Minneapolis · MN $4,336/mo
29 Portland · OR $4,059/mo
30 Sacramento · CA $3,954/mo
31 Washington, DC · DC $3,838/mo
32 Los Angeles · CA $3,701/mo
33 New York City · NY $3,336/mo
34 Boston · MA $3,335/mo
35 San Diego · CA $3,327/mo
36 San Francisco · CA $2,809/mo
37 San Jose · CA $2,804/mo

Methodology

For each of 37 cities, take-home pay was computed at a $100,000 salary (single filer) using federal, FICA, and state tax rates, then median 1BR rent (HUD FY2026 FMR) was subtracted to find monthly disposable income.

Sources: IRS 2025, Tax Foundation 2025, HUD FY2026 FMR.

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Income Reality Check is an educational tool, not financial advice. Your situation has more dimensions than any tool can capture.