The USA is often referred to as the country of unlimited possibilities. In some aspects this still rings true, but in other areas, you are likely to be plagued by conventional thinking and clichés. So, for example, if you tell a New Yorker you want to make 100K as a software engineer in Boston, they will assume that you are properly compensated for your talent and hard work. But if you tell a Bostonian the same thing, your expectation might seem unrealistic and far from achievable.
If you’re thinking about relocating to Boston and are wondering whether 100K is a good salary in Boston, then this article will help you decide. It also discusses what is a livable salary in boston, average salary in boston by age.
Is 100k a good salary in boston
In order to answer this question fairly, we must analyze the cost of living in Boston, as well as the potential of a career in this great city.
Massachusetts is home to some of the most expensive cities in the U.S. This can make it difficult to stretch a modest salary, like one of $100,000, in Boston and other nearby cities.
If you’re moving from the Midwest or South to Boston, Massachusetts and hoping to live on a $100,000 salary, this article will tell you exactly how much your income will stretch in each city.
You’ll also learn about housing costs in Massachusetts and how saving for a down payment can help you afford better homes than renters could ever hope for.
But first let’s take a look at what it means to live on $100,000 in Boston:
The cost of living in Massachusetts is 11 percent higher than the national average, with housing costs being 37 percent more than the average.
The cost of living in Massachusetts is 11 percent higher than the national average, with housing costs being 37 percent more than the average. The following table shows what it costs to live in Massachusetts:
- Food (at home): $938 per month ($1032 without children)
- Medical care: $862 per month ($715 without children)
- Transportation: $1,109 per month ($1,173 without children)
- Housekeeping supplies: $103 per month ($113 without children)
For those looking for a place to live in Massachusetts that costs about the same as the national average, Pittsfield and Leominster are your best bets.
If you’re looking for a place to live in Massachusetts that costs about the same as the national average, Pittsfield and Leominster are your best bets. Both cities have a low cost of living and plenty of affordable housing options. They also have good access to public transportation, making it easy to commute into Boston if you need to.
Other cities with an affordable cost of living include Somerville (15 minutes by train from North Station) and Framingham (30 minutes by train from South Station). However, these two suburbs are not as convenient when it comes to public transportation; they’re both about an hour away from Boston by train.
Living comfortably on $100,000 a year will mean different things from person to person.
This question is impossible to answer because it requires you to define what “living comfortably” means. There is no objective way to determine how much money a person needs in order to live well. For some, $100,000 is more than enough; for others, it barely scratches the surface.
The only way you will know whether or not $100k per year is enough for your lifestyle is by sitting down and figuring out exactly what your expenses are (and will be). You can then determine whether or not that amount of income will cover all of your needs and wants—or if there will be any shortfall between what you have and what you’d like to spend on yourself each month.
If this exercise shows that an additional income would help make things easier on your wallet while still allowing room left over for savings goals or retirement contributions, then yes: that salary may well be “good” enough for where its value lies in relation to other options available across Boston’s job market!
You can live comfortably on $100k a year in Massachusetts, but you have to know where to look.
As a single person, $100k is enough to live comfortably in Boston. But if you have a family, it’s less than ideal. If you have high expenses or have children to send to college, consider working up to six figures so that your salary can support your lifestyle without draining your savings.
If you’re considering relocating with a spouse and/or kids, there are plenty of towns around Boston where you can get more value for your money and still be able to afford everything on this list:
- Pittsfield – One of the cheapest places in the region for housing prices – but still close enough to enjoy many amenities at reasonable prices
- Leominster – A city that offers affordable living with low crime rates, good schools, and easy access to all major highways
The bottom line is that $100,000 is a good salary in Boston. When compared to the average cost of living, the wages earned at this level are well above average and can support a comfortable life with some extra room left over for fun.
what is a livable salary in boston
The living wage shown is the hourly rate that an individual in a household must earn to support his or herself and their family. The assumption is the sole provider is working full-time (2080 hours per year). The tool provides information for individuals, and households with one or two working adults and zero to three children. In the case of households with two working adults, all values are per working adult, single or in a family unless otherwise noted.
The state minimum wage is the same for all individuals, regardless of how many dependents they may have. Data are updated annually, in the first quarter of the new year. State minimum wages are determined based on the posted value of the minimum wage as of January one of the coming year (National Conference of State Legislatures, 2019). The poverty rate reflects a person’s gross annual income. We have converted it to an hourly wage for the sake of comparison.
| 1 ADULT | 2 ADULTS(1 WORKING) | 2 ADULTS(BOTH WORKING) | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 Children | 1 Child | 2 Children | 3 Children | 0 Children | 1 Child | 2 Children | 3 Children | 0 Children | 1 Child | 2 Children | 3 Children | |
| Living Wage | $22.56 | $45.12 | $58.20 | $77.80 | $32.01 | $38.69 | $44.55 | $49.04 | $15.41 | $24.26 | $32.11 | $39.27 |
| Poverty Wage | $6.19 | $8.38 | $10.56 | $12.74 | $8.38 | $10.56 | $12.74 | $14.92 | $4.19 | $5.28 | $6.37 | $7.46 |
| Minimum Wage | $14.25 | $14.25 | $14.25 | $14.25 | $14.25 | $14.25 | $14.25 | $14.25 | $14.25 | $14.25 | $14.25 | $14.25 |
Typical Expenses
These figures show the individual expenses that went into the living wage estimate. Their values vary by family size, composition, and the current location.
| 1 ADULT | 2 ADULTS(1 WORKING) | 2 ADULTS(BOTH WORKING) | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 Children | 1 Child | 2 Children | 3 Children | 0 Children | 1 Child | 2 Children | 3 Children | 0 Children | 1 Child | 2 Children | 3 Children | |
| Food | $3,891 | $5,734 | $8,613 | $11,425 | $7,133 | $8,878 | $11,446 | $13,934 | $7,133 | $8,878 | $11,446 | $13,934 |
| Child Care | $0 | $16,576 | $33,152 | $49,729 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $16,576 | $33,152 | $49,729 |
| Medical | $2,612 | $7,680 | $7,467 | $7,777 | $5,465 | $7,467 | $7,777 | $7,566 | $5,465 | $7,467 | $7,777 | $7,566 |
| Housing | $18,675 | $25,408 | $25,408 | $31,760 | $20,688 | $25,408 | $25,408 | $31,760 | $18,675 | $25,408 | $25,408 | $31,760 |
| Transportation | $4,244 | $7,531 | $9,791 | $11,565 | $7,531 | $9,791 | $11,565 | $12,560 | $7,531 | $9,791 | $11,565 | $12,560 |
| Civic | $3,207 | $5,149 | $6,361 | $8,307 | $5,149 | $6,361 | $8,307 | $6,603 | $5,149 | $6,361 | $8,307 | $6,603 |
| Other | $5,275 | $7,867 | $7,197 | $10,471 | $7,867 | $7,197 | $10,471 | $10,128 | $7,867 | $7,197 | $10,471 | $10,128 |
| Required annual income after taxes | $38,027 | $76,069 | $98,113 | $131,156 | $53,957 | $65,225 | $75,096 | $82,674 | $51,944 | $81,802 | $108,248 | $132,402 |
| Annual taxes | $8,891 | $17,785 | $22,939 | $30,665 | $12,616 | $15,250 | $17,558 | $19,330 | $12,145 | $19,126 | $25,309 | $30,956 |
| Required annual income before taxes | $46,918 | $93,854 | $121,052 | $161,821 | $66,573 | $80,475 | $92,654 | $102,003 | $64,088 | $100,927 | $133,557 | $163,359 |
Typical Annual Salaries
These are the typical annual salaries for various professions in this location.
| Occupational Area | Typical Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Management | $139,742 |
| Business & Financial Operations | $88,650 |
| Computer & Mathematical | $110,296 |
| Architecture & Engineering | $100,805 |
| Life, Physical, & Social Science | $90,244 |
| Community & Social Service | $52,698 |
| Legal | $123,425 |
| Education, Training, & Library | $69,925 |
| Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, & Media | $68,416 |
| Healthcare Practitioners & Technical | $89,441 |
| Healthcare Support | $38,520 |
| Protective Service | $62,253 |
| Food Preparation & Serving Related | $32,475 |
| Building & Grounds Cleaning & Maintenance | $40,039 |
| Personal Care & Service | $37,065 |
| Sales & Related | $40,960 |
| Office & Administrative Support | $50,889 |
| Farming, Fishing, & Forestry | $37,536 |
| Construction & Extraction | $68,790 |
| Installation, Maintenance, & Repair | $61,878 |
| Production | $44,587 |
| Transportation & Material Moving | $39,087 |
average salary in boston by age
Massachusetts ranks number 5 out of 50 states for salaries on ZipRecruiter.
As of Oct 22, the average annual salary in Massachusetts is $65,505. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $31.49 an hour. This is equivalent of $1,259 a week or $5,458 a month. Most salaries in Massachusetts range between $47,062 (25th percentile) to $82,589 (75th percentile) annually.
Of course, salaries will vary depending on yor occupation, experience, and many other factors. Some of the top paying kinds of jobs in Massachusetts are Orthopedic Surgeon, Hematologist Oncologist, and Neuroradiologist. You may also find that pay is better in some areas of the state. Cambridge is the city with the highest average salary on ZipRecruiter.
To estimate the most accurate salary range for jobs in Massachusetts, we continuously scan out database of millions of active jobs in our marketplace.
