Overview
- ConsumerAffairs adjusted a $100,000 salary for federal, state and local taxes and regional price parity across the 100 largest U.S. cities.
- San Francisco and Oakland rank lowest at about $62,371 in purchasing power, with California metros comprising eight of the bottom 10.
- Texas cities dominate the top tier as Laredo leads at roughly $89,864, followed by strong showings from El Paso, Lubbock, Corpus Christi and San Antonio.
- Housing and utilities are the biggest drags in California, with San Francisco housing costs about double the national average, according to the report.
- Survey findings cited in the analysis say nearly two-thirds of six-figure earners now view $100,000 as survival mode.