A new analysis reveals the rising cost of being single in America’s 100 largest cities.
Researchers at GOBankingRates reviewed newly released cost of living and housing data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and Zillow, among other sources.
Using this data, we determined the salary singles need to live comfortably in Charlotte is roughly $93,000 per year – we ranked #48 overall, more expensive than Chicago (#40), Dallas (#41), and St Petersburg (#46).
Cities were ranked from most affordable (#1) to least affordable (#100).
- Cleveland, OH
- Salary Needed: $47,874
- Median Income: $39,187
- Monthly Cost: $1,995
- Toledo, OH
- Salary Needed: $49,425
- Median Income: $47,532
- Monthly Cost: $2,059
- Detroit, MI
- Salary Needed: $50,519
- Median Income: $39,575
- Monthly Cost: $2,105
- Memphis, TN
- Salary Needed: $54,379
- Median Income: $51,211
- Monthly Cost: $2,266
- St. Louis, MO
- Salary Needed: $58,829
- Median Income: $55,279
- Monthly Cost: $2,451
- Wichita, KS
- Salary Needed: $62,101
- Median Income: $63,072
- Monthly Cost: $2,588
- Lubbock, TX
- Salary Needed: $62,231
- Median Income: $60,487
- Monthly Cost: $2,593
- Baltimore, MD
- Salary Needed: $63,132
- Median Income: $59,623
- Monthly Cost: $2,630
- Tulsa, OK
- Salary Needed: $63,547
- Median Income: $58,407
- Monthly Cost: $2,648
- Oklahoma City, OK
- Salary Needed: $63,698
- Median Income: $66,702
- Monthly Cost: $2,654
- Laredo, TX
- Salary Needed: $63,996
- Median Income: $63,264
- Monthly Cost: $2,667
- Milwaukee, WI
- Salary Needed: $64,127
- Median Income: $51,888
- Monthly Cost: $2,672
- Corpus Christi, TX
- Salary Needed: $64,566
- Median Income: $66,325
- Monthly Cost: $2,690
- Fort Wayne, IN
- Salary Needed: $64,767
- Median Income: $60,293
- Monthly Cost: $2,699
- El Paso, TX
- Salary Needed: $65,547
- Median Income: $58,734
- Monthly Cost: $2,731
- Indianapolis, IN
- Salary Needed: $66,118
- Median Income: $62,995
- Monthly Cost: $2,755
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Salary Needed: $67,957
- Median Income: $64,137
- Monthly Cost: $2,832
- Kansas City, MO
- Salary Needed: $68,181
- Median Income: $67,449
- Monthly Cost: $2,841
- Cincinnati, OH
- Salary Needed: $68,265
- Median Income: $51,707
- Monthly Cost: $2,844
- Winston-Salem, NC
- Salary Needed: $69,358
- Median Income: $57,673
- Monthly Cost: $2,890
- Buffalo, NY
- Salary Needed: $69,506
- Median Income: $48,050
- Monthly Cost: $2,896
- Louisville, KY
- Salary Needed: $69,869
- Median Income: $64,731
- Monthly Cost: $2,911
- Greensboro, NC
- Salary Needed: $70,064
- Median Income: $58,884
- Monthly Cost: $2,919
- New Orleans, LA
- Salary Needed: $70,219
- Median Income: $55,339
- Monthly Cost: $2,926
- San Antonio, TX
- Salary Needed: $70,420
- Median Income: $62,917
- Monthly Cost: $2,934
- Columbus, OH
- Salary Needed: $70,803
- Median Income: $65,327
- Monthly Cost: $2,950
- Philadelphia, PA
- Salary Needed: $71,430
- Median Income: $60,698
- Monthly Cost: $2,976
- Omaha, NE
- Salary Needed: $75,140
- Median Income: $72,708
- Monthly Cost: $3,131
- Houston, TX
- Salary Needed: $75,623
- Median Income: $62,894
- Monthly Cost: $3,151
- Lincoln, NE
- Salary Needed: $75,811
- Median Income: $69,991
- Monthly Cost: $3,159
- St. Paul, MN
- Salary Needed: $76,107
- Median Income: $73,055
- Monthly Cost: $3,171
- Norfolk, VA
- Salary Needed: $76,746
- Median Income: $64,017
- Monthly Cost: $3,198
- Lexington, KY
- Salary Needed: $77,554
- Median Income: $67,631
- Monthly Cost: $3,231
- Jacksonville, FL
- Salary Needed: $78,827
- Median Income: $66,981
- Monthly Cost: $3,284
- Fort Worth, TX
- Salary Needed: $79,771
- Median Income: $76,602
- Monthly Cost: $3,324
- Garland, TX
- Salary Needed: $79,924
- Median Income: $76,602
- Monthly Cost: $3,324
- Albuquerque, NM
- Salary Needed: $80,086
- Median Income: $65,604
- Monthly Cost: $3,337
- Tucson, AZ
- Salary Needed: $81,612
- Median Income: $54,546
- Monthly Cost: $3,401
- Arlington, TX
- Salary Needed: $82,144
- Median Income: $73,519
- Monthly Cost: $3,423
- Chicago, IL
- Salary Needed: $82,184
- Median Income: $75,134
- Monthly Cost: $3,424
- Dallas, TX
- Salary Needed: $82,935
- Median Income: $67,760
- Monthly Cost: $3,456
- Minneapolis, MN
- Salary Needed: $83,202
- Median Income: $80,269
- Monthly Cost: $3,467
- Irving, TX
- Salary Needed: $86,378
- Median Income: $79,641
- Monthly Cost: $3,599
- Spokane, WA
- Salary Needed: $87,081
- Median Income: $65,745
- Monthly Cost: $3,628
- Durham, NC
- Salary Needed: $91,482
- Median Income: $79,234
- Monthly Cost: $3,812
- St. Petersburg, FL
- Salary Needed: $92,316
- Median Income: $73,118
- Monthly Cost: $3,846
- Fresno, CA
- Salary Needed: $92,360
- Median Income: $66,804
- Monthly Cost: $3,848
- Charlotte, NC
- Salary Needed: $92,612
- Median Income: $78,438
- Monthly Cost: $3,859
- Bakersfield, CA
- Salary Needed: $92,618
- Median Income: $77,397
- Monthly Cost: $3,859
- Tampa, FL
- Salary Needed: $92,708
- Median Income: $71,302
- Monthly Cost: $3,863
- Madison, WI
- Salary Needed: $95,381
- Median Income: $76,983
- Monthly Cost: $3,974
- Orlando, FL
- Salary Needed: $95,416
- Median Income: $69,268
- Monthly Cost: $3,976
- Chesapeake, VA
- Salary Needed: $95,530
- Median Income: $94,189
- Monthly Cost: $3,980
- Virginia Beach, VA
- Salary Needed: $96,097
- Median Income: $90,685
- Monthly Cost: $4,004
- Glendale, AZ
- Salary Needed: $96,357
- Median Income: $70,139
- Monthly Cost: $4,015
- North Las Vegas, NV
- Salary Needed: $97,221
- Median Income: $76,772
- Monthly Cost: $4,051
- Phoenix, AZ
- Salary Needed: $97,366
- Median Income: $77,041
- Monthly Cost: $4,057
- Raleigh, NC
- Salary Needed: $97,825
- Median Income: $82,484
- Monthly Cost: $4,076
- Nashville, TN
- Salary Needed: $98,528
- Median Income: $75,197
- Monthly Cost: $4,105
- Colorado Springs, CO
- Salary Needed: $99,041
- Median Income: $83,198
- Monthly Cost: $4,127
- Mesa, AZ
- Salary Needed: $100,155
- Median Income: $78,779
- Monthly Cost: $4,173
- Atlanta, GA
- Salary Needed: $100,379
- Median Income: $81,938
- Monthly Cost: $4,182
- Anchorage, AK
- Salary Needed: $101,257
- Median Income: $98,152
- Monthly Cost: $4,219
- Stockton, CA
- Salary Needed: $102,186
- Median Income: $76,851
- Monthly Cost: $4,258
- Las Vegas, NV
- Salary Needed: $102,507
- Median Income: $70,723
- Monthly Cost: $4,271
- Boise, ID
- Salary Needed: $102,705
- Median Income: $81,308
- Monthly Cost: $4,279
- Aurora, CO
- Salary Needed: $108,246
- Median Income: $84,320
- Monthly Cost: $4,510
- Sacramento, CA
- Salary Needed: $108,484
- Median Income: $83,753
- Monthly Cost: $4,520
- Plano, TX
- Salary Needed: $108,665
- Median Income: $108,649
- Monthly Cost: $4,528
- Henderson, NV
- Salary Needed: $109,803
- Median Income: $88,654
- Monthly Cost: $4,575
- Newark, NJ
- Salary Needed: $111,581
- Median Income: $48,416
- Monthly Cost: $4,649
- Chandler, AZ
- Salary Needed: $113,125
- Median Income: $103,691
- Monthly Cost: $4,714
- Austin, TX
- Salary Needed: $113,852
- Median Income: $91,461
- Monthly Cost: $4,744
- Enterprise, NV
- Salary Needed: $113,954
- Median Income: $93,980
- Monthly Cost: $4,748
- Reno, NV
- Salary Needed: $114,894
- Median Income: $78,448
- Monthly Cost: $4,787
- Portland, OR
- Salary Needed: $115,789
- Median Income: $88,792
- Monthly Cost: $4,825
- Gilbert, AZ
- Salary Needed: $119,216
- Median Income: $121,351
- Monthly Cost: $4,967
- Denver, CO
- Salary Needed: $120,435
- Median Income: $91,681
- Monthly Cost: $5,018
- Riverside, CA
- Salary Needed: $132,628
- Median Income: $88,575
- Monthly Cost: $5,526
- Miami, FL
- Salary Needed: $134,493
- Median Income: $59,390
- Monthly Cost: $5,604
- Jersey City, NJ
- Salary Needed: $134,905
- Median Income: $94,813
- Monthly Cost: $5,621
- Washington, D.C.
- Salary Needed: $144,173
- Median Income: $106,287
- Monthly Cost: $6,007
- Boston, MA
- Salary Needed: $155,424
- Median Income: $94,755
- Monthly Cost: $6,476
- Oakland, CA
- Salary Needed: $156,809
- Median Income: $97,369
- Monthly Cost: $6,534
- Santa Clarita, CA
- Salary Needed: $159,498
- Median Income: $119,926
- Monthly Cost: $6,646
- Santa Ana, CA
- Salary Needed: $164,001
- Median Income: $88,354
- Monthly Cost: $6,833
- New York, NY
- Salary Needed: $165,655
- Median Income: $79,713
- Monthly Cost: $6,902
- Chula Vista, CA
- Salary Needed: $166,627
- Median Income: $105,173
- Monthly Cost: $6,943
- Scottsdale, AZ
- Salary Needed: $168,627
- Median Income: $107,372
- Monthly Cost: $7,026
- Long Beach, CA
- Salary Needed: $168,923
- Median Income: $83,969
- Monthly Cost: $7,038
- Seattle, WA
- Salary Needed: $170,902
- Median Income: $121,984
- Monthly Cost: $7,121
- Anaheim, CA
- Salary Needed: $173,571
- Median Income: $90,583
- Monthly Cost: $7,232
- Los Angeles, CA
- Salary Needed: $168,923
- Median Income: $83,969
- Monthly Cost: $7,038
- Arlington, VA
- Salary Needed: $186,390
- Median Income: $140,160
- Monthly Cost: $7,766
- San Diego, CA
- Salary Needed: $200,416
- Median Income: $104,321
- Monthly Cost: $8,351
- Honolulu, HI
- Salary Needed: $234,876
- Median Income: $85,428
- Monthly Cost: $9,786
- San Francisco, CA
- Salary Needed: $241,107
- Median Income: $141,446
- Monthly Cost: $10,046
- San Jose, CA
- Salary Needed: $262,265
- Median Income: $141,565
- Monthly Cost: $10,928
- Fremont, CA
- Salary Needed: $277,753
- Median Income: $176,350
- Monthly Cost: $11,573
- Irvine, CA
- Salary Needed: $291,586
- Median Income: $129,647
- Monthly Cost: $12,149
Methodology Details
The researchers first analyzed Bureau of Labor Statistics data for single residents. More specifically, they uncovered the average monthly and annual expenditures for each of the 100 largest cities. Next, they identified the average mortgage cost in each of these cities using data from Zillow.
Based on the 50/30/20 budgeting rule that states needs should be no more than 50% of your income, our researchers then doubled the annual cost of living (expenditures + mortgage) to determine the salary single people need to live comfortably.