Quick answer
On a $25K salary, 0 of 75 US cities are affordable (under 30% rent burden), and 98 are unaffordable (over 40%). Cheapest: Wichita at 54% rent. Most expensive: New York at 207%.
Affordability · 2026
What Can I Afford on $25K?
Every US city ranked by rent burden at a $25K salary. Take-home pay uses real federal + state tax rates. Rent % is based on median 1BR in each city; green = under 30% (comfortable), red = over 40% (unaffordable).
Last updated: April 23, 2026
0
Comfortable
<25% rent
0
Affordable
25–29%
0
Stretched
30–39%
98
Unaffordable
40%+
Every City Ranked (best to worst)
| City | Take-home/mo | 1BR rent | Rent % | After essentials |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WichitaKS | $1,652 | $900 | 54% | $212 |
| MemphisTN | $1,771 | $980 | 55% | $316 |
| Oklahoma CityOK | $1,672 | $920 | 55% | $277 |
| Baton RougeLA | $1,682 | $950 | 56% | $267 |
| El PasoTX | $1,771 | $1,050 | 59% | $236 |
| MobileAL | $1,667 | $1,000 | 60% | $117 |
| Little RockAR | $1,679 | $1,000 | 60% | $149 |
| IndianapolisIN | $1,707 | $1,050 | 62% | $177 |
| DetroitMI | $1,682 | $1,050 | 62% | $132 |
| ClevelandOH | $1,688 | $1,050 | 62% | $158 |
| SpokaneWA | $1,771 | $1,100 | 62% | $136 |
| PensacolaFL | $1,771 | $1,100 | 62% | $146 |
| TucsonAZ | $1,719 | $1,080 | 63% | $144 |
| AlbuquerqueNM | $1,669 | $1,050 | 63% | $149 |
| FayettevilleAR | $1,679 | $1,050 | 63% | $209 |
| LouisvilleKY | $1,677 | $1,080 | 64% | $122 |
| OmahaNE | $1,649 | $1,050 | 64% | $124 |
| RochesterNY | $1,635 | $1,050 | 64% | $55 |
| CincinnatiOH | $1,688 | $1,100 | 65% | $108 |
| LexingtonKY | $1,688 | $1,100 | 65% | $58 |
| Sioux FallsSD | $1,771 | $1,150 | 65% | $181 |
| Kansas CityMO | $1,658 | $1,100 | 66% | $78 |
| St. LouisMO | $1,668 | $1,100 | 66% | $88 |
| ProvoUT | $1,670 | $1,100 | 66% | $185 |
| Winston-SalemNC | $1,672 | $1,100 | 66% | $127 |
| San AntonioTX | $1,771 | $1,180 | 67% | $76 |
| BuffaloNY | $1,635 | $1,100 | 67% | $0 |
| KnoxvilleTN | $1,771 | $1,200 | 68% | $56 |
| TallahasseeFL | $1,771 | $1,200 | 68% | $16 |
| AnchorageAK | $1,771 | $1,200 | 68% | −$134 |
| BirminghamAL | $1,667 | $1,150 | 69% | −$33 |
| Des MoinesIA | $1,671 | $1,150 | 69% | −$19 |
| ColumbusOH | $1,688 | $1,180 | 70% | $28 |
| Overland ParkKS | $1,652 | $1,150 | 70% | $57 |
| MilwaukeeWI | $1,611 | $1,150 | 71% | −$39 |
| ChattanoogaTN | $1,771 | $1,250 | 71% | −$9 |
| Grand RapidsMI | $1,682 | $1,200 | 71% | −$48 |
| HoustonTX | $1,771 | $1,280 | 72% | −$49 |
| Fort WorthTX | $1,771 | $1,280 | 72% | −$29 |
| JacksonvilleFL | $1,771 | $1,280 | 72% | $1 |
| Ann ArborMI | $1,682 | $1,250 | 74% | −$58 |
| PittsburghPA | $1,707 | $1,280 | 75% | −$63 |
| HuntsvilleAL | $1,667 | $1,250 | 75% | −$108 |
| Las VegasNV | $1,771 | $1,350 | 76% | −$104 |
| New OrleansLA | $1,682 | $1,280 | 76% | −$133 |
| GreenvilleSC | $1,638 | $1,250 | 76% | −$97 |
| PlanoTX | $1,771 | $1,400 | 79% | −$94 |
| PhoenixAZ | $1,719 | $1,380 | 80% | −$201 |
| RichmondVA | $1,651 | $1,320 | 80% | −$159 |
| DurhamNC | $1,672 | $1,350 | 81% | −$133 |
| DallasTX | $1,771 | $1,450 | 82% | −$209 |
| RenoNV | $1,771 | $1,450 | 82% | −$199 |
| HendersonNV | $1,771 | $1,450 | 82% | −$244 |
| BoiseID | $1,650 | $1,380 | 84% | −$210 |
| Santa FeNM | $1,669 | $1,400 | 84% | −$221 |
| TempeAZ | $1,719 | $1,450 | 84% | −$271 |
| CharlotteNC | $1,677 | $1,420 | 85% | −$233 |
| Virginia BeachVA | $1,651 | $1,400 | 85% | −$304 |
| NashvilleTN | $1,771 | $1,520 | 86% | −$264 |
| MadisonWI | $1,611 | $1,380 | 86% | −$269 |
| FresnoCA | $1,635 | $1,400 | 86% | −$355 |
| Colorado SpringsCO | $1,679 | $1,450 | 86% | −$331 |
| Salt Lake CityUT | $1,674 | $1,450 | 87% | −$276 |
| SavannahGA | $1,659 | $1,450 | 87% | −$351 |
| RaleighNC | $1,677 | $1,480 | 88% | −$298 |
| MinneapolisMN | $1,566 | $1,380 | 88% | −$329 |
| EugeneOR | $1,594 | $1,400 | 88% | −$366 |
| Cape CoralFL | $1,771 | $1,550 | 88% | −$384 |
| OrlandoFL | $1,771 | $1,580 | 89% | −$314 |
| ScottsdaleAZ | $1,719 | $1,550 | 90% | −$346 |
| AshevilleNC | $1,677 | $1,550 | 92% | −$413 |
| AustinTX | $1,771 | $1,650 | 93% | −$434 |
| BaltimoreMD | $1,651 | $1,550 | 94% | −$429 |
| HartfordCT | $1,656 | $1,550 | 94% | −$469 |
| TampaFL | $1,771 | $1,680 | 95% | −$429 |
| St. PetersburgFL | $1,771 | $1,700 | 96% | −$519 |
| ProvidenceRI | $1,677 | $1,650 | 98% | −$553 |
| AtlantaGA | $1,656 | $1,650 | 100% | −$519 |
| PortlandOR | $1,565 | $1,590 | 102% | −$545 |
| DenverCO | $1,679 | $1,740 | 104% | −$576 |
| PhiladelphiaPA | $1,707 | $1,800 | 105% | −$643 |
| SacramentoCA | $1,494 | $1,580 | 106% | −$621 |
| CharlestonSC | $1,638 | $1,750 | 107% | −$672 |
| BoulderCO | $1,679 | $1,850 | 110% | −$696 |
| ChicagoIL | $1,668 | $1,850 | 111% | −$727 |
| SeattleWA | $1,771 | $2,100 | 119% | −$889 |
| MiamiFL | $1,771 | $2,200 | 124% | −$1,024 |
| Fort LauderdaleFL | $1,771 | $2,250 | 127% | −$1,124 |
| Jersey CityNJ | $1,638 | $2,100 | 128% | −$1,062 |
| HonoluluHI | $1,625 | $2,100 | 129% | −$1,380 |
| Long BeachCA | $1,577 | $2,050 | 130% | −$1,038 |
| OaklandCA | $1,577 | $2,200 | 139% | −$1,208 |
| San DiegoCA | $1,494 | $2,250 | 151% | −$1,306 |
| Washington, DCDC | $1,594 | $2,400 | 151% | −$1,396 |
| BostonMA | $1,667 | $2,600 | 156% | −$1,513 |
| Los AngelesCA | $1,494 | $2,400 | 161% | −$1,486 |
| San FranciscoCA | $1,494 | $2,800 | 187% | −$1,891 |
| New YorkNY | $1,544 | $3,200 | 207% | −$2,301 |
Take-home uses effective federal tax + state tax. Essentials = rent + utilities + groceries. Click a city for the full breakdown.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many US cities are affordable on a $25K salary?
Of 75 major US cities we track, 0 are affordable (rent under 30% of take-home) on $25K. 98 are unaffordable (rent over 40% of take-home). The most affordable: Wichita at 54% rent burden. The least: New York at 207%.
What's take-home pay on $25K by state?
Federal effective tax at $25K is about 15%. State tax varies 0–11%. In no-tax states (TX, FL, TN, WA, NV, AK), take-home is $1,771/month. In California (~9.3% effective), it drops to $1,577/month — a $194/month difference.
Is $25K a good salary to live on in 2026?
Depends entirely on city. In Wichita or similar cheap metros, $25K is comfortable with room to save. In SF, NYC, or coastal California, $25K often means roommates or sub-urban rent. The table below ranks all 75 cities from most comfortable to most stretched at this salary.