Coverage: 34 metros — Census top continental MSAs by 2023 population (ranks 1–34).
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🏙️2026 · $100k single · 34 metros
Metro paycheck examples 2026
The 34 largest continental US metros on the same $100,000 salary — including NYC city tax and honest caveats for Philly, Detroit, and Ohio cities. Highest take-home: San Antonio; lowest: New York City.
By Sammy S. · Founder · Author
$79,180
Best · San Antonio
$70,848
Lowest · NYC
$8,332
Austin − NYC gap
34
Metros
Key finding
Austin keeps about $8,332 more than NYC at $100k
Across the 34 largest continental US metros, a $100,000 single salary (2026) yields about $79,180 take-home in Austin vs $70,848 in New York City (gap $8,332 before rent). Highest modeled take-home: San Antonio; lowest: New York City. NYC is the only metro with modeled city PIT; Philly, Detroit, and Ohio cities disclose unmodeled local wage taxes.
Updated 2026-08-11 · 34 metros · Census MSA ranks 2023 · ladders $50k–$75k–$100k–$150k–$200k
$100,000 take-home by metro
Ranked by modeled take-home. Highest: San Antonio · lowest: New York City. Amber notes mean local city wage tax is not fully in the engine.
| # | Metro | Take-home | Effective |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Antonio | $79,180 | 20.8% |
| 2 | Orlando | $79,180 | 20.8% |
| 3 | Houston | $79,180 | 20.8% |
| 4 | Tampa | $79,180 | 20.8% |
| 5 | Las Vegas | $79,180 | 20.8% |
| 6 | Austin | $79,180 | 20.8% |
| 7 | Dallas | $79,180 | 20.8% |
| 8 | Miami | $79,180 | 20.8% |
| 9 | Seattle | $78,565 | 21.4% |
| 10 | ClevelandLocal tax caveat | $77,212 | 22.8% |
| 11 | CincinnatiLocal tax caveat | $77,212 | 22.8% |
| 12 | ColumbusLocal tax caveat | $77,212 | 22.8% |
| 13 | Phoenix | $76,680 | 23.3% |
| 14 | IndianapolisLocal tax caveat | $76,230 | 23.8% |
| 15 | PittsburghLocal tax caveat | $76,110 | 23.9% |
| 16 | PhiladelphiaLocal tax caveat | $76,110 | 23.9% |
| 17 | St. Louis | $75,382 | 24.6% |
| 18 | Kansas City | $75,382 | 24.6% |
| 19 | Charlotte | $75,190 | 24.8% |
| 20 | DetroitLocal tax caveat | $74,930 | 25.1% |
| 21 | Denver | $74,780 | 25.2% |
| 22 | Chicago | $74,230 | 25.8% |
| 23 | Atlanta | $74,190 | 25.8% |
| 24 | Minneapolis | $74,143 | 25.9% |
| 25 | Boston | $73,300 | 26.7% |
| 26 | Portland | $73,000 | 27.0% |
| 27 | Sacramento | $72,794 | 27.2% |
| 28 | Riverside | $72,794 | 27.2% |
| 29 | San Diego | $72,794 | 27.2% |
| 30 | Los Angeles | $72,794 | 27.2% |
| 31 | San Francisco | $72,794 | 27.2% |
| 32 | Washington, DC | $72,620 | 27.4% |
| 33 | BaltimoreLocal tax caveat | $71,746 | 28.3% |
| 34 | New York CityCity PIT modeled | $70,848 | 29.1% |
All metro pages
#1 take-home · MSA #24
San Antonio
$79,180
20.8% · COL 88
#2 take-home · MSA #22
Orlando
$79,180
20.8% · COL 92
#3 take-home · MSA #5
Houston
$79,180
20.8% · COL 94
#4 take-home · MSA #17
Tampa
$79,180
20.8% · COL 95
#5 take-home · MSA #29
Las Vegas
$79,180
20.8% · COL 95
#6 take-home · MSA #28
Austin
$79,180
20.8% · COL 96
#7 take-home · MSA #4
Dallas
$79,180
20.8% · COL 99
#8 take-home · MSA #9
Miami
$79,180
20.8% · COL 121
#9 take-home · MSA #15
Seattle
$78,565
21.4% · COL 142
#10 take-home · MSA #32
Cleveland
$77,212
22.8% · COL 82 · caveat
#11 take-home · MSA #30
Cincinnati
$77,212
22.8% · COL 88 · caveat
#12 take-home · MSA #33
Columbus
$77,212
22.8% · COL 88 · caveat
#13 take-home · MSA #10
Phoenix
$76,680
23.3% · COL 107
#14 take-home · MSA #34
Indianapolis
$76,230
23.8% · COL 85 · caveat
#15 take-home · MSA #26
Pittsburgh
$76,110
23.9% · COL 88 · caveat
#16 take-home · MSA #7
Philadelphia
$76,110
23.9% · COL 106 · caveat
#17 take-home · MSA #21
St. Louis
$75,382
24.6% · COL 88
#18 take-home · MSA #31
Kansas City
$75,382
24.6% · COL 88
#19 take-home · MSA #23
Charlotte
$75,190
24.8% · COL 92
#20 take-home · MSA #14
Detroit
$74,930
25.1% · COL 102 · caveat
#21 take-home · MSA #19
Denver
$74,780
25.2% · COL 110
#22 take-home · MSA #3
Chicago
$74,230
25.8% · COL 117
#23 take-home · MSA #8
Atlanta
$74,190
25.8% · COL 96
#24 take-home · MSA #16
Minneapolis
$74,143
25.9% · COL 92
#25 take-home · MSA #11
Boston
$73,300
26.7% · COL 145
#26 take-home · MSA #25
Portland
$73,000
27.0% · COL 117
#27 take-home · MSA #27
Sacramento
$72,794
27.2% · COL 108
#28 take-home · MSA #12
Riverside
$72,794
27.2% · COL 118
#29 take-home · MSA #18
San Diego
$72,794
27.2% · COL 146
#30 take-home · MSA #2
Los Angeles
$72,794
27.2% · COL 151
#31 take-home · MSA #13
San Francisco
$72,794
27.2% · COL 165
#32 take-home · MSA #6
Washington, DC
$72,620
27.4% · COL 135
#33 take-home · MSA #20
Baltimore
$71,746
28.3% · COL 98 · caveat
#34 take-home · MSA #1
New York City
$70,848
29.1% · COL 150
Popular metro corridors
NYC vs Austin
At $100,000 single, Austin keeps about $79,180 vs $70,848 in New York City — a $8,332 annual take-home gap (before rent).
Compare take-home →
NYC vs Miami
At $100,000 single, Miami keeps about $79,180 vs $70,848 in New York City — a $8,332 annual take-home gap (before rent).
Compare take-home →
NYC vs Dallas
At $100,000 single, Dallas keeps about $79,180 vs $70,848 in New York City — a $8,332 annual take-home gap (before rent).
Compare take-home →
SF vs Austin
At $100,000 single, Austin keeps about $79,180 vs $72,794 in San Francisco — a $6,386 annual take-home gap (before rent).
Compare take-home →
SF vs Seattle
At $100,000 single, Seattle keeps about $78,565 vs $72,794 in San Francisco — a $5,771 annual take-home gap (before rent).
Compare take-home →
LA vs Houston
At $100,000 single, Houston keeps about $79,180 vs $72,794 in Los Angeles — a $6,386 annual take-home gap (before rent).
Compare take-home →
Chicago vs Dallas
At $100,000 single, Dallas keeps about $79,180 vs $74,230 in Chicago — a $4,950 annual take-home gap (before rent).
Compare take-home →
Philly vs Austin
At $100,000 single, Austin keeps about $79,180 vs $76,110 in Philadelphia — a $3,070 annual take-home gap (before rent). Local caveat: Philadelphia Wage/Earnings Tax is NOT subtracted here. Resident rates are about 3.74% (Jul 2025) and 3.735% (Jul 2026) per the City of Philadelphia — city residents keep less than this PA-only vignette.
Compare take-home →
Boston vs Miami
At $100,000 single, Miami keeps about $79,180 vs $73,300 in Boston — a $5,880 annual take-home gap (before rent).
Compare take-home →
Seattle vs Austin
At $100,000 single, Austin keeps about $79,180 vs $78,565 in Seattle — a $615 annual take-home gap (before rent).
Compare take-home →
DC vs Atlanta
At $100,000 single, Atlanta keeps about $74,190 vs $72,620 in Washington, DC — a $1,570 annual take-home gap (before rent).
Compare take-home →
Denver vs Phoenix
At $100,000 single, Phoenix keeps about $76,680 vs $74,780 in Denver — a $1,900 annual take-home gap (before rent).
Compare take-home →
Compare any two metros
Compare any two metros
Take-home on $100,000 single — state rules, FICA, and modeled local tax.
Also compare statewide: US state tax compare, $100k by state, and the relocation salary calculator.
Key finding
Largest-metro take-home gaps for 2026
Across the 34 largest continental US metros, a $100,000 single salary (2026) yields about $79,180 take-home in Austin vs $70,848 in New York City (gap $8,332 before rent). Highest modeled take-home: San Antonio; lowest: New York City. NYC is the only metro with modeled city PIT; Philly, Detroit, and Ohio cities disclose unmodeled local wage taxes.
Headline vignette: $100,000 single filer, tax year 2026, standard deduction, no dependents, no 401(k).
Highest modeled take-home: San Antonio (~$79,180); lowest: New York City (~$70,848).
New York City is the only metro with a separately modeled city PIT — about $3,441/year less take-home than New York State alone at $100k.
No-wage-PIT metros (San Antonio, Orlando, Houston, Tampa, Las Vegas, Austin…) cluster near $79,180; Seattle is a bit lower (~$78,565) because of WA PFML.
Philadelphia, Detroit, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Indianapolis carry local-tax caveats — ranked figures can overstate city-resident take-home.
8 metros flag unmodeled or averaged local tax — read each city’s note before citing the number.
Take-home excludes sales tax, property tax, and rent — use the relocation calculator for COL-equivalent salary.
What this metro paycheck hub covers
34 continental US metros selected by Census Bureau MSA population estimates (2023), each run through the same $100,000 single-filer paycheck engine for 2026.
$100k scoreboard
Headline take-home and effective levy for every metro
Local-tax honesty
NYC modeled; Philly, Detroit, Ohio cities flagged as unmodeled
Income ladders
Same gross bands on every city page ($50k–$200k)
COL context
Relocation indexes (100 = national average) — not subtracted from net
How metro paychecks are calculated
Federal brackets and employee FICA are the same everywhere (IRS Topic 751). State rules, NYC city tax, and state SDI/PFML create the gaps you see in the table.
Federal income tax
Same national brackets and standard deduction on every metro row for tax year 2026.
Employee FICA
Social Security 6.2% (to the wage base) + Medicare 1.45% — IRS Topic 751. Identical in every city.
State / DC income tax
Brackets or flat rates differ by jurisdiction — the main driver of take-home gaps among metros without city PIT.
City / local wage tax
Only NYC city PIT is modeled as a separate line. Philly, Detroit, Ohio cities, and Pittsburgh disclose unmodeled local taxes.
State SDI / PFML
CA SDI, NY SDI (capped), MA PFML, and WA PFML are included where the engine applies them — not city taxes.
Not in take-home
Sales tax, property tax, rent, commuting, and employer benefits stay out of the paycheck ranking.
Metros with local-tax caveats
These ranked take-home figures can overstate what a city resident actually keeps after local wage taxes. Always read the city note before citing.
Cleveland
Cleveland municipal income tax is NOT included. Ohio city residents typically owe local income tax on top of state tax.
Cincinnati
Ohio municipalities (including Cincinnati) typically levy a local municipal income tax (~1–2.5%). That city layer is NOT included — residents usually keep less than this OH-only vignette.
Columbus
Columbus municipal income tax is NOT included. Treat the ranked take-home as an Ohio state proxy, not a full city paycheck.
Indianapolis
Some Indiana counties add local option income tax. Marion County / Indianapolis earners may owe more than the statewide IN figure shown.
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh-area municipalities typically add an earned income tax (EIT) and local services tax (LST). Those local layers are NOT in this vignette — city/borough residents keep less than the PA-only figure.
Philadelphia
Philadelphia Wage/Earnings Tax is NOT subtracted here. Resident rates are about 3.74% (Jul 2025) and 3.735% (Jul 2026) per the City of Philadelphia — city residents keep less than this PA-only vignette.
Detroit
Detroit city income tax is NOT subtracted here (commonly 2.4% resident / 1.2% nonresident on city wages). City residents keep less than this MI-only vignette.
Baltimore
Baltimore City’s exact local income tax rate can differ from the 3% statewide average used here — treat this as an MD-average vignette, not a Baltimore City return.
What these metro paycheck examples model
Each city runs the same $100,000 gross through federal income tax, employee FICA (IRS Topic 751), and the relevant state rules for 2026.
New York City adds NYC city income tax on top of New York State tax. Most other metros use state (or DC) rules only.
Assumptions stay fixed: single filer, standard deduction, no dependents, no pre-tax 401(k) — so metro rankings stay apples-to-apples.
City wage taxes: what is (and isn’t) in the engine
Modeled local PIT: NYC only (~$3,441 at $100k on this vignette).
Philadelphia Wage Tax (~3.74% resident as of Jul 2025; ~3.735% from Jul 2026), Detroit city income tax (~2.4% resident), and Ohio municipal taxes are disclosed but not subtracted — those city rows overstate resident take-home.
Baltimore includes Maryland’s 3% average local/county add-on inside the state tax line — not Baltimore City’s exact rate.
No wage income tax does not mean identical paychecks
Texas, Florida, and Nevada metros share the same federal + FICA take-home at a given gross on this model.
Seattle also has no wage PIT, but Washington employee PFML (~$615 at $100k) trims take-home below the TX/FL/NV cluster.
Matching take-home never means matching budgets — COL indexes and rent still diverge sharply.
Same-state metros can share take-home and still feel different
All California metros on this list share the CA + SDI engine — LA, SF, San Diego, Riverside, and Sacramento show the same modeled take-home at $100k.
Texas and Florida metros likewise share take-home within each state; use COL indexes and the relocation calculator to separate paycheck from purchasing power.
That is intentional: the ranking isolates wage tax rules, not neighborhood rents.
How to read cost-of-living next to take-home
COL indexes (100 = national average) come from the same relocation city table used elsewhere on the site (C2ER-style composites).
A COL-adjusted take-home proxy divides after-tax pay by (index/100) — it is illustrative, not a rent quote.
For city-to-city equivalent salary, open the relocation salary calculator with the matching corridor.
Why these metros
The list follows the largest continental US metropolitan statistical areas by Census Bureau population estimates (2023).
Each page is anchored to a principal city in our relocation table so COL and tax domicile stay consistent.
San Juan, PR is omitted (different tax system); smaller MSAs can still be modeled via state paycheck calculators.
Common myths about city take-home pay
“No state income tax means the highest take-home everywhere.”
Usually near the top — but Seattle trails TX/FL/NV peers slightly because of employee PFML (~$615 at $100k).
“New York State and NYC are the same paycheck.”
NYC city tax alone is about $3,441 at $100k — roughly $3,441 less take-home than NY without city tax.
“Philadelphia’s number is a full city paycheck.”
Philadelphia rows are Pennsylvania state tax only. The city Wage Tax (~3.7%+) is disclosed but not subtracted — cite the caveat.
“California metros have different state tax rates.”
LA, SF, San Diego, Riverside, and Sacramento share the same CA + SDI engine here. Differences are COL and housing, not state brackets.
“Take-home rankings include rent.”
They don’t. High take-home in a low-COL metro can still lose to a mid take-home city after housing — use COL indexes next.
“FICA stops if you move to Texas.”
Employee Social Security and Medicare still apply nationwide (IRS Topic 751).
Worked examples — $100,000 single (2026)
Highest · San Antonio
$79,180 take-home · COL 88 · MSA #24
Lowest modeled · New York City
$70,848 take-home · COL 150 · includes NYC city tax where applicable
New York City city premium
City PIT ~$3,441; ~$3,441 less than NY state-only.
Seattle vs no-PIT cluster
WA PFML ~$615 trims take-home to $78,565 vs ~$79,180 in Austin.
San Francisco (CA cluster)
$72,794 — same CA engine as LA/San Diego; COL 165 is among the highest.
Philadelphia caveat
PA-only take-home $76,110. City Wage Tax (~3.7%+) would reduce a resident paycheck further — not in the engine.
How to use this hub
1
Read the $100k scoreboard
Compare take-home and effective levy across all 34 metros.
2
Check local-tax notes
NYC models city PIT; Philly, Detroit, Ohio cities, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Indy carry honesty caveats.
3
Scan same-state clusters
CA/TX/FL metros can share take-home — then use COL to separate paycheck from cost of living.
4
Add COL, then personalize
Use COL indexes and the relocation calculator; model your filing status in the city/state paycheck tool.
Who this helps
Fits well when
- Job seekers comparing offers across the largest US metros at the same gross.
- Remote workers choosing a tax domicile among major cities.
- Researchers comparing dated $100k take-home figures across metros.
- Anyone separating NYC city tax from state-only models — or spotting Philly/Detroit/Ohio caveats.
Use another tool when
- You need married filing jointly, dependents, or itemized deductions — use the US paycheck calculator.
- You need rent, sales tax, or property tax in the total — use relocation / household tax hubs.
- You need Philadelphia, Detroit, or Ohio city tax dollars in the net — those local taxes are disclosed but not modeled.
- You need every micropolitan area — this hub covers the largest continental MSAs only.
Glossary
Take-home pay
Gross wages minus modeled federal income tax, state/DC income tax, NYC city tax when applicable, employee FICA, and state SDI/PFML when applicable.
City wage tax
A local income or earnings tax on wages. Only NYC is modeled here; Philly, Detroit, Ohio cities, and Pittsburgh disclose unmodeled local taxes.
MSA
Metropolitan Statistical Area — Census population ranks (2023) select which metros appear on this hub.
FICA
Employee Social Security (6.2% to the 2026 wage base) and Medicare (1.45%) — IRS Topic 751; same in every city.
SDI / PFML
State Disability Insurance or Paid Family & Medical Leave employee withholdings (e.g. CA SDI, WA/MA PFML, capped NY SDI).
COL index
Cost-of-living index from our relocation city table (100 = national average). Used for context after the paycheck.
Effective employee levy
(Gross − take-home) ÷ gross — the share of salary withheld in this vignette.
Unmodeled local tax
A real city/municipal wage tax that exists but is not subtracted in our engine — flagged in the city’s caveat.
Planning tips
Don’t model NYC as “New York” only
Borough residents owe city tax — about $3,441/year less take-home than NY state alone at $100k on this model.
Cite Philly carefully
Philadelphia’s ranked figure is PA state tax only. Add ~3.7% city Wage Tax mentally (or via payroll) for a resident estimate.
Seattle ≠ Austin for the last mile
Both lack wage PIT, but WA PFML leaves Seattle at ~$78,565 vs Austin ~$79,180.
Same take-home, different rent
TX and FL metros can tie on tax and still diverge wildly on housing — always pair with COL.
Ohio and Detroit need a local check
Municipal income taxes are common — our OH/MI rows are state proxies until you confirm city withholding.
Offer letters are gross
Convert to take-home before comparing cities; then layer rent with the relocation tool.
FICA is everywhere
Social Security and Medicare rates do not drop when you leave a high-tax metro (IRS Topic 751).
Not tax advice
Confirm domicile, residency days, and local rules with a tax professional or city/state agency.
FAQs
Side-by-side take-home for the 34 largest continental US metros on a $100,000 single-filer model (federal + state/DC + FICA, plus NYC city tax and state SDI/PFML where applicable). Ladders run from $50k to $200k.
San Antonio ranks #1 with about $79,180 take-home on this model. New York City ranks last at about $70,848. Read local-tax caveats for Philly, Detroit, and Ohio cities.
Not on this W-2 wage baseline. San Francisco uses California state income tax + CA SDI + federal + FICA. Take-home at $100k is about $72,794.
About $3,441 in modeled NYC city income tax, for a city premium of roughly $3,441 versus New York State without city tax. Total take-home ~$70,848.
No. The ranked figure (~$76,110) is Pennsylvania state tax only. Philadelphia’s Wage Tax (~3.74% resident as of Jul 2025; ~3.735% from Jul 2026) is not subtracted in our engine.
Both Texas and Florida levy no wage income tax, so at the same gross the federal + FICA engine produces the same net ($79,180 at $100k). Cost of living still differs (Austin COL 96, Miami 121).
Washington has no wage PIT, but employee PFML withholding (~$615 at $100k) reduces take-home to about $78,565.
No. These pages isolate the paycheck. COL indexes and the relocation salary calculator add housing and price-level context.
Use each city’s linked US paycheck calculator (NY page includes an NYC borough toggle). These vignettes stay single / standard deduction for ranking consistency.
COL indexes use our relocation city table (C2ER-style; 100 = national average). MSA selection follows Census Bureau metropolitan population estimates (2023).
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