This is how much a six figure income is worth in California (2024)

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Earning a six-figure income has long been a sign of success and financial comfort for American workers. Still, with high inflation and cost of living expenses, the yearly income may not be enough to support a life in California.

A new study from Smart Asset analyzed the after-tax income for $100,000 in 76 of the largest U.S. cities and adjusted those figures to represent the cost of living in each place. California cities ranked low for the places where $100,000 had the most purchasing power.

California cities where a six-figure income had low purchasing power:

Researchers used the Smart Asset paycheck calculator to determine the after-tax income for multiple cities. They used data from the Council for Community and Economic Research to determine the cost of living expenses for the U.S. included in the study.

While $100,000 may not have much purchasing power in California, the six-figure income goes a long way in other states, mainly due to lower taxes and cost of living rates than in the Golden State.

This is where $100,000 has the most purchasing power:

While Texas cities dominated the list of the places with the most purchasing power for $100,000, Memphis, Tennessee, holds the top spot.