Here’s how much a six-figure income is worth in California

Earning a six-figure income has long been a sign of success and financial comfort for American workers. (Unsplash)

Earning a six-figure income has long been a sign of success and financial comfort for American workers. Yet with high inflation and high cost of living, the annual income may not be enough to support a life in California.

A new study from Smart Asset analyzed the after-tax income of $100,000 in 76 of the largest US cities and adjusted those numbers to represent the cost of living in each location. California cities ranked at the bottom of where $100,000 had the greatest buying power.


California cities where six-figure income had low purchasing power:

City Net payment adjusted for inflation and cost of living
Bakersfield $63,539
Sacramento $57,669
Stockton $55,962
Oakland $46,198
San Diego $46,167
Angels $44,623
Long Beach $44,623
San Francisco $36,445

The researchers used the Smart Asset Paycheck Calculator to determine after-tax income for several cities. They used data from the Council for Community and Economic Research to determine the cost of living in the United States included in the study.

While $100,000 might not have much buying power in California, six-figure income goes a long way in other states, mostly due to lower tax rates and lower cost of living. to those in the Golden State.

This is where $100,000 has the most buying power:

City Net payment adjusted for inflation and cost of living
Memphis, TN Between $74,515 and $86,444
El Paso, TX Between $74,515 and $84,966
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Between $70,302 and $84,498
Corpus Christi, Texas $83,443
Lubbock, TX Between $74,515 and $83,350
Houston, TX Between $74,515 and $81,350
San Antonio, TX Between $74,515 and $80,124
Fort Worth, TX Between $74,515 and $80,124
Arlington, TX Between $74,515 and $80,124
St. Louis, Missouri Between $69,531 and $79,921

While cities in Texas dominated the list of places with the most spending power per $100,000, Memphis, Tennessee takes the top spot.

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