Enjoying a nice, comfortable life in a major Californian city is now out of reach for most American families, according to new research.
For a family of four to live comfortably in San Francisco, they need and annual salary of $408,000, topping a new list of American cities.
San Jose, an hour south, comes in second at $403,000. The Bay Area’s Oakland comes in third with an eyewatering $371,000 required to enjoy a comfortable life.
The new list, published by SmartAsset, ranks 56 major American cities by the annual family income.
The family income is measured by the MIT Living Wage Calculator, which takes into account the cost of basic necessities like housing, food, utilities, transportation, and hobbies.
The measure follows the 50/30/20 rule, which breaks down budgeting where “50% of your post-tax income goes to needs, 30% of your wants, and 20% gets set aside for the future.”
In Southern California, Irvine in Orange County is 8th in the nation, requiring a family salary of $327,000, while further south San Diego comes in 12th with $313,000.
The median household income for a family of four in America is just $124,990, meaning most would struggle with live in any major Californian metro.
One of the main reasons for California cities dominating the list is due to a severe housing shortage, a high tax rate, and strict state regulations.
A median single-family home price in The Golden State is $930,260 according to CAR, which is the highest amongst U.S. states in America. The median price in the Bay Area was $1.45 million while San Francisco was at a staggering $2.2 million in May.
The state also leads the nation with a top marginal income tax rate of 13.3% for top earners.
While California cities dominate the top 20 list, places such as Boston, New York, and Washington, D.C. continue to rank among the most expensive areas in the county as well.
Read the full article here
