Jan 21, 2026
Once upon a time a $90,000 income was good money. These days, it doesn’t go far in many major American cities after accounting for rent, daily essentials and taxes.
The good news is that there are a number of large U.S. cities where you can live comfortably on less than $90,000.
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USA Today compiled this list based on GoBankingRates data, drawing from the Federal Reserve. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Sperling’s BestPlaces and Zillow Home Value Index (1).
For the purposes of this list, “comfortable” means enough income to cover necessities, some discretionary spending and additional room to apply for debt repayment and consistent savings.
Because housing is typically the largest line item in any budget, it remains the most significant factor in determining whether the cost of living in a community is deemed affordable or prohibitive.
The cities on this list are all affordable based on the traditional 50/30/20 budget:
- 50% of take-home pay to needs (housing, groceries, utilities, transportation).
- 30% of take-home pay to wants (entertainment, dining out, hobbies).
- 20% of take-home pay to savings, investments or debt.
Read on to find out which eight cities offer single adults a 50/30/20 lifestyle for less than $90,000 a year. Keep in mind that families with children in these same cities would need a significantly higher household income.
Top cities where comfort costs less than $90k
In each of these cities, the salary needed to maintain the 50/30/20 balance falls below $88,000.
1. Detroit, Michigan: $65,733
2. Memphis, Tennessee: $66,177
3. Wichita, Kansas: $74,307
4. Baltimore, Maryland: $76,200
5. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: $76,350
6. Tulsa, Oklahoma: $76,783
7. El Paso, Texas: $77,115
8. Indianapolis, Indiana: $78,317
On the flip side, the income required to live comfortably in coastal tech hubs and historic financial centers has soared.
In these markets, the combination of high state taxes and a shortage of housing inventory pushes the salary required to live comfortably far beyond the reach of the average worker.
1. San Jose, California: $147,430 (highest in the country
2. New York, New York: $136,656
3. Boston, Massachusetts: $133,578
4. Seattle, Washington: $128,211
Even in the more affordable cities listed above, there is a stark gap between what people earn and what the 50/30/20 rule suggests they need, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. (2).
For example, in New Orleans, while the "comfortable" salary is $86,445, the local median household income is just $55,300, suggesting that many residents are struggling to make ends meet as their needs would consume far more than 50% of their paychecks (3).
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Should you move?
While such rankings are a helpful starting point, relocation is rarely a simple mathematical problem.
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Census data indicates that American mobility has actually declined in recent years (4).
After an explosion of mobility during the early years of the pandemic, people have become less mobile for several reasons, including the high cost of relocating, and higher interest rates that have many homeowners feeling locked in with their current mortgages.
On the other hand, people who already own a house and have a thick web of career connections and other obligations are less likely to move.
If you’re an empty nester or as a college grad looking for a fresh start, these cities could offer both affordability and opportunity, but do not rely solely on averages.
Instead, create a "shadow budget" to see how the 50/30/20 rule would apply to your specific situation in a new zip code.
The most valuable takeaway from this data is not the specific ranking of any one city, but the importance of the method: price your essentials, apply a rigid budgeting rule and treat any "comfortable salary" figure as a baseline for planning rather than a guarantee of financial ease.
Article sources
We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines.
USA Today (1); United States Census Bureau (2, 4); USAFacts.org (3)
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Will Kenton is a personal finance writer with a Master's degree in Economics who has been published in Investopedia, AP News, TIME Stamped and Business Insider among other publications.
