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 100k a good salary in Los Angeles? ›

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

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.

What is the middle class salary in Los Angeles? ›

A separate study by Consumer Affairs published last month tabulated the minimum annual income required for a family of four to be considered middle class in each state, and in California, that income is $69,064.

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.

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.

Is $80000 a good salary in Los Angeles? ›

$80,000 a year considered 'low-income' in Orange County, $70,000 in Los Angeles, state report says - ABC7 Los Angeles.

What is a good salary for a single person in California? ›

But just how much does a single person in California need to make to live comfortably? A new study from Smart Asset determined that a person must make at least $ 89,190 to get by comfortably.

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.

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.

How much money is considered wealthy in Los Angeles? ›

Los Angeles and San Diego tied for third on the list. In those two Southern California cities, you'll need a net worth of $3.5 million. Here's a look at the top 10 metro areas with the highest net worths, compared to last year's figures: San Francisco: $4.7 million (down from $5.1 million)

Is $90,000 a good salary in Los Angeles? ›

As a rule of thumb, a good salary in Los Angeles is between $100k and $200k gross per year. Based on the cost of living in Los Angeles, this should come down to a minimum of $76,710 yearly after taxes.

Can you live in Los Angeles on 100K? ›

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.

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.

Is 100K a good salary for a single person in California? ›

A good salary for a single person in California varies widely depending on location and industry: $50K may be enough in some areas, $100K in others.

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