A recent study breaks down how far a $100,000 salary actually stretches in Seattle—and the results show the city landing near the lower end of the rankings.
In February, consumer review website ConsumerAffairs published an analysis of the real take-home value of a $100K salary across the 100 largest U.S. cities. The study adjusted earnings based on taxes and local cost of living to estimate what that salary is truly worth in each location.
Even though Seattle has no state or local income tax, the city still ranked relatively low because of its high cost of living. Here’s a closer look at the findings.
What does a $100K salary actually get you in Seattle?
Among the 100 largest U.S. cities included in the analysis, Seattle came in at #79. After accounting for taxes and cost-of-living differences, the study estimated that a $100,000 salary has an adjusted post-tax value of about $69,824 in Seattle.
Seattle falls between Baltimore and Philadelphia in the rankings, with Baltimore’s adjusted salary slightly higher and Philadelphia’s slightly lower.
The cities where a $100K salary is worth the least include Los Angeles at $63,829 and New York City at $62,674. The lowest value overall was a tie between San Francisco and Oakland, where the adjusted salary came out to $62,371.
To reach these figures, ConsumerAffairs first calculated post-tax income by applying federal income taxes along with payroll taxes and any applicable state or local taxes. The results were then adjusted using each city’s Regional Price Parity (RPP) index, a metric that reflects local cost of living.
While Seattle benefits from having no state or local income tax, its RPP index is 113, indicating significantly higher prices than the national average. For comparison, Laredo, Texas—the city where a $100K salary stretches the furthest—has an RPP of 87.8.
Where does a $100K salary stretch the furthest?
In several parts of the U.S., that same $100K income goes much further.
Laredo, Texas ranked #1, where the adjusted post-tax value of a $100,000 salary reaches $89,864. Texas cities dominate the top of the list, with El Paso, Lubbock, and Corpus Christi rounding out the top four.
Other high-ranking cities include Memphis, Tennessee (#5), New Orleans, Louisiana (#7), and Tulsa, Oklahoma (#8). In each of those places, the adjusted value of a $100K salary comes out to more than $83,000, highlighting just how much location can influence purchasing power.
Learn more: You can read the full ConsumerAffairs study here.