Here’s how far a $100K salary really goes in NYC in 2025

Spoiler: It's not much

A six-figure salary might sound impressive, but in New York City, it doesn’t go nearly as far as you might hope, according to a new study by financial company SmartAsset.

The study analyzed the true value of a $100,000 salary across 69 major U.S. cities, factoring in federal, state, and local taxes, along with each city’s cost of living. The results? No surprise here—NYC ranks dead last.

"Understanding where $100,000 stretches the furthest – and where it may fall short – can be crucial for budgeting and long-term financial planning," SmartAsset wrote in their study.

Manhattan: Where $100K Feels Like $30K

After accounting for federal taxes, particularly high local taxes, and a cost of living 130.6% higher than the national average, a $100k salary goes least far in New York City, SmartAsset found.

By the numbers:

According to the findings, Manhattan, New York only has $30,362 in spending power. 

Even after accounting for inflation, the value of $100k last year was higher at $30,914.

This year’s second- and third-place cities where $100k was worth the least were Honolulu, Hawaii ($38,610) and San Francisco, California ($42,128).

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The value of $100k dropped most year over year in Queens, NY – dropping 6.5% year over year, from $49,978 to $46,708. This can mostly be attributed to an increase in the relative cost of living in Queens. Other cities where the value of $100k dropped most included Durham, North Carolina ($71,371); Phoenix, Arizona ($71,688); Columbus, Ohio ($77,647) and Miami, FL ($64,991).

Where 100K is worth the least

1. Manhattan, New York: $30,362 (Value of 100K in 2025)
2. Honolulu, Hawaii: $38,610
3. San Francisco, California: $42,128
4. Brooklyn, New York: $43,461
5. Queens, New York: $46,708
6. Los Angeles, California: $47,983
7. San Diego, California: $49,337
8. Boston, Massachusetts: $50,602
9. Washington DC: $51,339
10. Oakland, California: $52,060

See the full report here.

Where $100K Actually Feels Like Money

The study found that $100k went the furthest in Texas and Oklahoma cities. 

By the numbers:

Oklahoma City ($89,989), El Paso ($89,114), Corpus Christi ($88,015) and and Tulsa ($87,439) ranked at the top of places where $100k stretched furthest. 

Texas has the advantage of no state or local income taxes, while Oklahoma’s particularly low cost of living is enough to offset the state-imposed income tax.

RELATED: Here’s how far your paycheck goes in America's major cities in 2025

The value of $100k increased by 6.6% year over year in Charlotte, North Carolina, to $81,780. Plano, Texas also saw a 6.4% increase to $71,372, and the value increased 6.3% to $73,358 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Spokane.

Where 100K is worth the most

1. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: $89,989
2. El Paso, Texas: $89,114
3. Corpus Christi, Texas: $88,015
4. Tulsa, Oklahoma: $87,439
5. Memphis, Tennessee: $87,427
6. Lubbock, Texas: $86,846
7. San Antonio, Texas: $86,084
8. Jacksonville, Florida: $84,509
9. Houston, Texas: $83,343
10. St. Louis, Missouri: $83,082

See the full report here.

Where wages stretch the most, least

Dig deeper:

Earlier this year, the company Bankrate looked into data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis to determine how far average annual salaries go in the 25 largest U.S. metros.

"Moving from a high-cost area to a lower-cost city – or vice versa – may not always result in the expected increase in purchasing power," the company said on its website. "While workers in expensive cities tend to get paid higher wages on average, their pay effectively declines when adjusted for the area’s cost of living."

Similarly to SmartAsset’s study, Bankrate found that wages stretched furthest in Texas cities (San Antonio, New Braunfels). Wages also stretched further in St. Louis, Charlotte and Detroit.

Meanwhile, wages stretched the least in San Francisco, followed by Los Angeles, Seattle and New York.

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