The United States of America (commonly referred to as America) is one of the most highly populated countries and has one of the largest global GDPs out there. It’s also home to some of the most expensive cities. Spanning across 50 states, there’s a lot of ground to cover in the US. And if you’re thinking of making the move, you probably want to know where you’re settling first.
So, these are the top ten most expensive cities in the US!
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10. Oakland, California
Not surprising, California is home to some of the costliest cities in the United States. Oakland is not too far from San Francisco and San Jose and has a population of about 434,000. Values of homes can reach into the millions easily, but it’s not as expensive as some of the other California cities on this list.
Median household income in Oakland is a little over $80,000, but it’s also one of the most expensive cities to buy gas and groceries in. The average price of grocery items is about 30% above the national average.
9. Seattle, Washington
Seattle is a very well-known city situated in the heart of the Pacific northwest. It’s famous for being the home of Starbucks. A little over 734,000 people currently live in Seattle. Homes can reach up to the millions as well, with a median household income of $97,185.
8. Boston, Massachusetts
Boston is well-known for hosting some of the most expensive and well-known universities in the world. It’s also got a super high cost of living, with groceries and health care going well above the national average.
The median average household income in Boston is about $76,298, with the median home value around $744,000. However, in order for a family to live comfortable, the household income needs to be at least $100,000.
7. Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles is one of the biggest cities in the United States and is known for being the home of the ultra wealthy. With the movie industry and Hollywood calling it home, Los Angeles is a very expensive place to live. The Port of Los Angeles is a major source of wealth for the city, as well as manufacturing and startups.
The city is home to nearly 4 million residents and the median home value is around $991,551. Median household income comes to around $65,290.
Due to the high cost of living, Los Angeles sees about 17% of its residents living below the poverty line. Nationally, about 11.4% live below the poverty line.
6. Orange County, California
Orange County is a pretty recognizable name in California. It’s home to nearly 3.2 million and houses some of the richest in the country. Fortune 500 companies and celebrities are pretty standard to find in the area.
Median household income in Orange County is about $94,441, but houses are typically $1 million, if not more. It’s also got a pretty low unemployment rate of about 2.8% as of July 2022.
5. Washington D.C.
Washington D.C. is home to the U.S. government and houses some of the most important people in the country. With government and private-sector jobs, federal agencies, think tanks, and lobbying firms. it’s a go-to destination for many.
Washington D.C. also has a bustling tourism industry, with people flocking from far and wide to get a look at what goes down in the heart of democracy.
It’s home to 670,000 residents, with median home values around $708,000 and a median household income of $90,842.
4. Brooklyn, New York
Brooklyn, New York is one of the most expensive places to live in the US. Known for Coney Island and Prospect Park, Brooklyn is not a stranger to the minds of most people.
About 2.6 million people call Brooklyn home, with median home values around $776,950. Average rent can exceed $3,100 easily.
Like much of New York City, you’ll need a pretty hefty amount of money to live here comfortably.
3. San Francisco, California
San Francisco is beautiful, but it’s got a pretty large price tag to live there. Home to about 815,000, people are leaving pretty frequently.
Median home prices can reach above $1.6 million in the city. San Francisco has a bustling tourism industry and also includes lots of tech and financial services.
Still, in order to live there, a family would need $128,878 in household income AFTER taxes. You’d basically need to be making a salary of $200,000 to live there, making ends meet.
2. Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu is situated in the island state of Hawaii and is home to a little over one million people. It’s also extremely expensive to live here.
Compared to the national average, Honolulu residents pay 153% higher on groceries. Utilities cost 102.2% more than the national average as well.
The median household income in Honolulu is about $87,722 and the city has an unemployment rate of 3.8%.
1. Manhattan, New York
This one probably didn’t come as a shock to anybody, but Manhattan (New York City) is the most expensive city in the United States. 1.7 million people live in Manhattan, and its cost of living is sky-high.
Groceries, housing, and pretty much anything you can think of costs so much more in New York City than anywhere else in the US.
Unemployment sits a 6.6% and housing is going to cost you big bucks well above the upper end of the six figures mark.
But hey, New York is a concrete jungle where dreams are made of after all.
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Zainah Yousef
Zainah Yousef is the author of The Fallen Age Saga and specializes in gaming, social media advice, and reviews. She's been writing all her life and she probably won't stop anytime soon.
