Here's How Far $100,000 Goes In Chicago

CHICAGO — Six-figure salaries certainly sound nice to a lot of Americans. After all, the median income for the American worker in 2019 is about $47,000 a year. But a new report shows that a yearly $100,000 income goes a lot further in some cities than others. And in one city, it’s not even enough to pay the bills.

The folks at the personal finance site GoBankingRates.com looked at where a $100K income would be considered "good" in America’s 50 largest cities. Chicago was one of them.

Here’s what the authors had to say:

"Rents in Chicago are a bit more expensive than average, helping to reduce the leftover income on a $100,000 salary in the city. However, driving costs are quite low, no doubt in part due to the city’s wide-ranging transportation system."

• Federal income taxes: $17,262.50
• Net pay after income taxes: $74,297.70
• Annual rent: $20,292
• Annual groceries: $4,053
• Annual utilities: 1,563.48
• Annual driving costs: $9,280
• Annual healthcare: $7,129
• Income leftover: $31,980

Six-figure earners looking to get the most bang for their buck ought to consider heading to Memphis, Tennessee. The so-called “birthplace of rock ‘n roll” was dubbed the best large city in America for affordability when it comes to a $100K earner. These people see nearly half of their income — $46,093 — left over at the end of the year after accounting for major annual costs.

"Extremely low rent and the lack of state income tax help kick Memphis to the top spot," the report said.

Here are the top five best cities for $100,000-a-year earners.

1. Memphis, TN
2. El Paso, TX
3. Detroit, MI
4. Cleveland, OH
5. Tulsa, OK

Conversely, some $100K earners will find themselves struggling in certain cities. This includes San Francisco, the only city on the list where such a worker wouldn’t be able to cover routine expenses. Leftover income is actually -$2,734, the authors found.

"You’ll need to earn about $104,000 in San Francisco just to get by, since a $100K salary after taxes drops take-home pay to just over $72,000," the report said. "The highest average rents on the entire list and the third-highest grocery costs also weigh down paychecks."

The cities where leftover income was highest was largely due to a lack of a state income tax, the report said.

Click here to read more about the methodology.

Patch national staffer Dan Hampton contributed to this report.