$100,000 salary goes further in Houston than most cities, study shows
Cashing In
Even with Houston's ever-changing cost of living, earning a six-figure salary in the city is going much further than it used to, according to an income study by fintech company SmartAsset.
An annual $100,000 salary in Houston is worth $83,343 after taxes and when adjusted for the city's cost of living, the report revealed. That's $5,254 more than what six-figure-earning Houstonians were bringing home last year, a separate report from GoBankingRates.com found.
In SmartAsset's rankings of U.S. cities where $100,000 is worth the most, Houston ranked ninth.
The report warns a six-figure salary may seem comfortable at first, but it may not stretch as far depending on where an individual lives, any applicable tax obligations, and the rate of inflation.
"Earning $100,000 places an individual tax filer at the upper limit of the 22 percent federal tax bracket," the report's author wrote. "But taxes aren’t the only factor. The cost of living varies widely across the country, affecting how much purchasing power remains after necessary expenses."
Manhattan, New York is the No. 1 place where a six-figure salary is worth the least, where a New Yorker's take-home pay is only worth $30,362 after taxes and adjusted for the cost of living.
Other U.S. cities where a $100,000 salary goes the furthest
The U.S. city where a six-figure salary goes the furthest is Oklahoma City, where residents come away with $89,989 after all expenses.
Texas cities dominated the top 10 list. Texas doesn't impose state or local income taxes, which likely boosted its statewide six-figure salary value.
Six-figure earners living in El Paso see the greatest amount in take-home pay statewide, according to SmartAsset, with residents making $89,114 annually after taxes and expenses in 2025. That's $274 more than 2024's take-home pay.
The three additional Texas cities where a $100,000 salary goes the furthest after taxes and expenses are:
- No. 3 – Corpus Christi ($88,015)
- No. 6 – Lubbock ($86,846)
- No. 7 – San Antonio ($86,084)
Six-figure salaries don't stretch as far in Dallas-Fort Worth. An annual $100,000 salary in Dallas is worth only $77,197 after taxes and expenses, which is about $900 less than what six-figure-earning Dallasites brought home in 2024.
Those living in Plano are taking home even less: The study says a Plano resident's six-figure salary is only worth $71,372 in 2025.
In the report's rankings of U.S. cities where $100,000 is worth the least, Plano ranked at No. 26, while Dallas ranked 38th.
SmartAsset used its paycheck calculator to apply federal, state and local taxes to an annual salary of $100,000 in 69 of the largest American cities, which was then adjusted for the local cost of living (which included average costs for housing, groceries, utilities, transportation, and miscellaneous goods and services).---
A version of this story originally appeared on sister site, CultureMap.com.
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