While in Latin America one can live well with a little over a thousand dollars per month, in the United States the figures multiply. San Francisco is in the top ten.
Although many admire the salaries in the USA, they don’t take into account the everyday expenses, which are quite high. Services, healthcare, education, and housing take a good portion of the salary, so incomes that don’t exceed $100,000 annually are nothing to celebrate.
A study by GoBankingRates reveals that in the cheapest state in the US, you need over 300 thousand dollars annually to be considered wealthy. According to the results, West Virginia is the state where it’s easiest to reach the threshold of the wealthiest, as it requires an annual income of $329,620, a significantly lower figure compared to the $719,253 required in Washington D.C.
In this 10 cities you need the most to live wealthy:
1. San Francisco
- Population: 851,036
- Mean household income: $197,408
- Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $250,000+
- Average income of the top 20%: $532,010
- Average income of the top 5%: $937,518
2. Atlanta, Georgia
- Population: 494,838
- Mean household income: $128,965
- Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $175,779
- Average income of the top 20%: $384,230
- Average income of the top 5%: $763,851
3. San Jose
- Population: 1,001,176
- Mean household income: $179,853
- Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $250,000+
- Average income of the top 20%: $441,439
- Average income of the top 5%: $722,013
4. Seattle
- Population: 734,603
- Mean household income: $161,694
- Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $239,417
- Average income of the top 20%: $417,847
- Average income of the top 5%: $719,713
5. Washington, DC
- Population: 670,587
- Mean household income: $150,292
- Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $226,254
- Average income of the top 20%: $405,867
- Average income of the top 5%: $719,253
6. New York
- Population: 8,622,467
- Mean household income: $122,667
- Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $172,300
- Average income of the top 20%: $351,944
- Average income of the top 5%: $694,605
7. Boston
- Population: 665,945
- Mean household income: $132,509
- Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $196,892
- Average income of the top 20%: $366,452
- Average income of the top 5%: $677,288
8. Oakland
- Population: 437,825
- Mean household income: $139,468
- Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $210,026
- Average income of the top 20%: $372,428
- Average income of the top 5%: $643,643
9. Los Angeles
- Population: 3,881,041
- Mean household income: $116,961
- Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $164,925
- Average income of the top 20%: $324,962
- Average income of the top 5%: $621,555
10. Tampa
- Population: 388,768
- Mean household income: $109,168
- Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $150,615
- Average income of the top 20%: $314,166
- Average income of the top 5%: $605,027
The top ten where you can be rich with a salary considered low in other Cities:
38. Oklahoma City
- Population: 681,088
- Mean household income: $88,664
- Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $126,695
- Average income of the top 20%: $223,674
- Average income of the top 5%: $394,991
39. Indianapolis, Indiana
- Population: 882,006
- Mean household income: $82,697
- Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $117,890
- Average income of the top 20%: $211,280
- Average income of the top 5%: $382,816
40. Fresno, California
- Population: 541,528
- Mean household income: $85,872
- Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $126,949
- Average income of the top 20%: $218,549
- Average income of the top 5%: $379,858
41. Mesa, Arizona
- Population: 503,390
- Mean household income: $95,399
- Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $135,842
- Average income of the top 20%: $224,556
- Average income of the top 5%: $379,775
42. Kansas City, Missouri
- Population: 505,958
- Mean household income: $87,670
- Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $129,274
- Average income of the top 20%: $217,757
- Average income of the top 5%: $378,734
43. Arlington, Texas
- Population: 393,469
- Mean household income: $92,583
- Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $136,970
- Average income of the top 20%: $218,633
- Average income of the top 5%: $358,865
44. Albuquerque
- Population: 562,551
- Mean household income: $83,679
- Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $124,852
- Average income of the top 20%: $209,122
- Average income of the top 5%: $355,455
45. San Antonio, Texas
- Population: 1,445,662
- Mean household income: $80,313
- Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $117,080
- Average income of the top 20%: $199,993
- Average income of the top 5%: $344,150
46. Columbus, Ohio
- Population: 902,449
- Mean household income: $82,282
- Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $120,516
- Average income of the top 20%: $197,025
- Average income of the top 5%: $330,321
47. El Paso
- Population: 677,181
- Mean household income: $75,349
- Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $113,003
- Average income of the top 20%: $189,986
- Average income of the top 5%: $326,252
48. Milwaukee
- Population: 573,299
- Mean household income: $67,046
- Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $99,086
- Average income of the top 20%: $167,912
- Average income of the top 5%: $289,451
49. Tuscon, Arizona
- Population: 541,033
- Mean household income: $69,553
- Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $102,207
- Average income of the top 20%: $169,876
- Average income of the top 5%: $283,577
50. Detroit
- Population: 636,787
- Mean household income: $54,054
- Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $80,958
- Average income of the top 20%: $143,982
- Average income of the top 5%: $253,775
