The median income is a handy, if sometimes inaccurate way to gauge what it takes to be middle class. However, median for one city can be flat broke for another. This mega chart helps illuminate how much the median income in 129 US cities helps cover basic costs of living.

The chart below has a ton of data in it, so it might get a little overwhelming. However, it also has handy instructions on how to read it. The large center spiral shows the national median income, as well as outward-extending bar graphs for individual cities, grouped by the states they’re in. While most cities are either close to or under the national median, a few outliers stand out. Honolulu, HI, Los Alamos, NM, and Bethesda, MD all have stand out medians.


The inner ring of the circles, however, show the cost of living index. This shows the overall cost of living (as well as a further break down by category) as a percentage of the national average cost of living. So, for example, while Honolulu has a much higher median income, it also costs about 65% more to live there than other cities.

Obviously, that gap matters, so a final chart along the bottom shows the difference between median income and cost of living for each city. The bars are color coded to show which cities have a higher median income vs a higher cost of living. Having a higher median income means that living in that city with a median income will be more comfortable than if your city has a higher cost of living. This information can help determine what salary you’ll need to earn to maintain an adequate lifestyle when moving from one city to another.


The Cost of Living in America | Experian Data Quality