Where can I live comfortably with an income of $40,000?

Question

Which US city can I pay the rent and bills and still be able to live comfortably for 40k a year?

Answer 1

Pittsburgh, PA., Harrisburg, PA., Philadelphia, PA. and thousands more areas. That's a good income.

Answer 2

It would appear, with such an income, the question is whether you are able to make ends meet, via a budget and so as not to live beyond your means.

Because while some folks live comfortably with an income of 12,000 / year, others find themselves strapped with incomes ten times that amount.

That having been said, I find that the cost of living is lower in certain parts of the country.

On the East Coast, things appear somewhat higher priced north of virginia, and appear cheaper down towards the carolinas and further south.
Things are high in all of the rocky mountain states.
Missouri - Louisiana appears reasonable, and you'll have to ask around some more, I'm not sure about other parts of the country.

Still, it really boils down to living within your means.
With 40 grand, you should be able to live most anywhere.
A budget helps.

Answer 3

I live in Dallas very comfortably on $45,000/year. I save 11% of my gross income, I give away 4%, and I own a condo, so I have to spend around $1500 on housing expenses alone (property taxes are really high). I still go out a few times a week, travel, etc. I just save by bringing my lunch to work, not shopping on clothes and things I don't need, etc.

I think you can live almost anywhere on that amount, except in the most expensive cities like New York, LA, etc. Its going to be easy to live in any southern state on that amount--try Birmingham, AL; Jackson, MS; Atlanta, GA; Chattanooga, TN. I have friends from all those cities who make less than $40,000 but can still afford to spend like idiots.

Answer 4

Don't forget that where the cost of living is lower, usually salaries are comparably lower too. That said, I've never made $40,000 and have always lived comfortably in Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Kansas and North Carolina.

Answer 5

You'll need to remember that the salary that you make will not remain the same in every US City. Just as the cost of living increases/decreases in each City/State so will your salary. While determining what the cost of living is in each place you'll also need to determine what the average salary is there for what you do. You can do this by going to:
www.salary.com.

You can also compare cost of living in differnt cities by going to this website:
http://inflationdata.com/inflation/Cost_of_Living/Cost_of_Living_Calculator.asp

Answer 6

I live in Upper Michigan. Very rural and beautiful and fairly inexpensive to live here. I owned a nice home and raised 2 boys on about $21,000/yr. We didnt have lots of extras but we weren't dirt poor either. So I would say that you could live very comfortably up here with your income. (just have to be able to tolerate snow and cold - supposed to be -23 tomorrow!!)

Answer 7

Pleasantly Confortable
Charlotte, NC
Pittsburgh, PA
Houston, TX
Columbus, OH

Barely Comfortable
Philadelpha, PA
Chicago,IL
Washington, DC (might need a roomy)

Answer 8

together my fiance and that i make fifty 3,000 a year till now taxes. we are doing ok. yet we are able to could only no longer purchase a team of crap like we regularly do. I do belive god gave us this infant for a reason, we only might desire to make it artwork. yet i additionally stay in South Dakota. residing right here's a lot greater low-value than greater effective areas. i could only no longer get into anymore debt than mandatory, and easily purchase what you may arise with the money for and that i think of you would be superb.

Answer 9

The average family's salary is $40K... so most places you'll be ok... stay away from Boston...

Answer 10

Omaha, NE.