Here's what making $100,000 in Los Angeles 'feels like,' according to new study (2024)

LOS ANGELES - When people talk about the cost of living in Los Angeles, the answer is often "you get what you pay for." Where else can you swim in the ocean and ski in the mountains in the same day? Well, according to a new study, your dollar doesn't stretch very far in the city of Angels – and the financial stability of a six-figure salary isn't quite what it used to be.

According to a new study from SmartAsset, a $100,000 salary in Los Angeles leaves workers with what "feels like" just $44,623, ranking it among the lowest of nearly 80 cities analyzed by the financial advisory company.

The financial technology company compared the after-tax income in some of the largest cities across the U.S. and then adjusted those figures for the cost of living in each place.

When analyzing LA, the study said that the annual take-home pay from $100,000 after taxes is $68,050, but the cost of living is 52.5% higher than the national average.

"To calculate the city’s adjusted annual take-home pay, we divided the city’s average after-tax income by 1.525. In terms of purchasing power, the average take-home pay for someone living in Los Angeles is worth $44,623 after adjusting for the cost of living," the study wrote.

RELATED: Study shows what $100K is actually worth in the largest U.S. cities

Tied with LA as the fifth-lowest city where your money doesn't get you very far was Long Beach. The city where a six-figure salary gets you the least was New York City, which "feels like" just $36,000.

The cities at the top of the list where a six-figure salary goes the furthest were Memphis, Tennessee, El Paso, Texas, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Corpus Christi, Texas, and Lubbock, Texas.

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According to a recent survey, 51% of people who earned more than $100,000 reported living paycheck to paycheck in 2022 – 7% higher than a year earlier.

Here's what making $100,000 in Los Angeles 'feels like,' according to new study (2024)

FAQs

Here's what making $100,000 in Los Angeles 'feels like,' according to new study? ›

According to a new study from SmartAsset, a $100,000 salary in Los Angeles leaves workers with what "feels like" just $44,623, ranking it among the lowest of nearly 80 cities analyzed by the financial advisory company.

Is a 100k salary good in Los Angeles? ›

Today it's considered low-income, at least in Los Angeles.

How many people in LA make over 100k? ›

Number of households in Los Angeles, California by household income 2021. This statistic depicts the number of households in Los Angeles, California in 2021, by household income. In that year, there were 210,615 households with an income of 100,000 to 149,999 U.S. dollars.

What salary to live comfortably in LA? ›

Los Angeles did not make the top ten, ranking #17. Here, a single person needs $110,781 annually or $53.26 in hourly wages to be comfortable, according to the data. For a family of two working adults with two children, a salary of $276,557 is needed. Anaheim and Long Beach also made the list, tying for #14.

What does $100,000 feel like in these cities? ›

In San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Oakland, all in California, a $100,000 salary is effectively halved, in terms of what it can afford.

Can you live in LA with 100k salary? ›

When analyzing LA, the study said that the annual take-home pay from $100,000 after taxes is $68,050, but the cost of living is 52.5% higher than the national average.

Is 100k poverty in California? ›

(KRON) — You can earn $100,000 a year and still be considered low-income in the Bay Area, according to a new report released by the California Department of Housing and Community.

How rare is a 100k salary? ›

According to the U.S. Census, only 15.3% of American households make more than $100,000 annually. A $100,000 salary can yield a monthly income of $8,333.33, a biweekly paycheck of $3,846.15, a weekly income of $1,923.08, and a daily income of $384.62 based on 260 working days per year.

What is the top 1% income in LA? ›

The Share of Income Held by the Richest 1% of Californians Spiked During the Pandemic. Income inequality worsened in the pandemic. The average income of Californians in the top 1% rose from $2.3 million to $3.6 million between 2019 and 2021, while it declined for middle-income Californians, from $46,600 to $46,400.

What is considered high income in Los Angeles? ›

Upper Class Salary in Los Angeles, CA
Annual SalaryMonthly Pay
Top Earners$90,342$7,528
75th Percentile$71,433$5,952
Average$64,229$5,352
25th Percentile$40,969$3,414

Is $200,000 a good salary in Los Angeles? ›

A $200,000 a year salary is downright middle class if you're living in a big city like San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, New York, Boston, Washington D.C., or San Diego.

What is a comfortable salary in California? ›

The data used in the study analyzed the cost of living in each city as of 2022. For California cities like Los Angeles, Berkeley and San Diego, a single person must make more than $76,000 to “live comfortably,” the data shows.

What is middle class in Los Angeles? ›

Persons in HouseholdHousehold Income
Lower ClassMiddle Class
2Up to $55,837$55,838 to $167,513
3Up to $68,386$68,387 to $205,160
4Up to $78,966$78,967 to $236,899
3 more rows

Where does a $100,000 salary go the furthest? ›

El Paso, Texas

How much is 100K a year hourly? ›

$100,000 a year is how much an hour? If you make $100,000 a year, your hourly salary would be $48.08.

Where to live with a 100K salary? ›

Best Cities To Earn $100,000 (After Taxes and Cost-of-Living Adjustment)
  • Memphis, Tenn. ( ...
  • El Paso, Texas (Take-home pay: $84,966)
  • Oklahoma City, Okla. ( ...
  • Corpus Christi, Texas (Take-home pay: $83,443)
  • Lubbock, Texas (Take-home pay: $83,350)
  • Houston, Texas: (Take-home pay: $81,171)
Jan 19, 2024

Is 100k middle class in California? ›

In five California cities, a $100,000 median household income is considered lower-middle class, according to a Feb. 13 analysis from GoBankingRates.

How much is 100k a year in Los Angeles? ›

If you make $100,000 a year living in the region of California, USA, you will be taxed $29,959. That means that your net pay will be $70,041 per year, or $5,837 per month.

What percentage of Californians make over $100,000 a year? ›

Percentage of Households Making Over 100k 2024
StateHouseholds Over 100k
Massachusetts42.9%
Hawaii41.3%
Connecticut40.4%
California39.8%
6 more rows

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