You May Not Want To Hear How Much Money You Have To Make To Live In Northern California (2024)

Let’s face it. We’ve been well aware of how expensive it is to live in Northern California for some time now. However, seeing the numbers laid out like this really puts it into perspective for us. A website called HowMuchpublished some horrifying infographics which have confirmed our long-held suspicions: Living in Northern California costs an ungodly amount of money. Seeing these stats will probably make you cringe but keep reading to see exactly how out of control the cost of living in Northern California is and the state as a whole.

You May Not Want To Hear How Much Money You Have To Make To Live In Northern California (1)

The high cost of living in Northern California is definitely not news to us, but you might be surprised when you see the actual numbers of how much you need to make to live in this state. To live comfortably and afford a home that costs $499,900, you'll need an average annual income of around $120,120. If that sounds outrageous, it's because it is!

You May Not Want To Hear How Much Money You Have To Make To Live In Northern California (2)

Most other states require an average annual income of $40k to $70k. In comparison to the rest of the country, HowMuch ranks California as the third most expensive place to live, just behind Washington D.C. and Hawaii. This can be contributed mainly to the fact that there simply isn't enough available inventory for the high demand for housing our state is currently experiencing. We can't say we're surprised by that data, but it's sad to see nonetheless.

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You May Not Want To Hear How Much Money You Have To Make To Live In Northern California (3)

To put it into perspective, HowMuch compiled this infographic to show just how many hours the average person will need to work in order to afford a home mortgage in California. If you check out the Bay Area, you'll see that they estimate individuals will need to work an average of 107 hours per week to live in San Francisco. Oakland and San Jose aren't that much better with estimates of 83 and 74 hours needed per week respectively. Simply put, if you want to live in the Bay Area, you can pretty much say goodbye to your social life...or any kind of life outside of work.

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You May Not Want To Hear How Much Money You Have To Make To Live In Northern California (7)

If you know you can't afford a mortgage in California, renting may seem like the best option. However, you might be taken aback when you see just how much money you need to make monthly in order to even do that. With an estimated monthly cost of $8,313, California is the second most expensive place to rent in the United States. Washington D.C. comes in first with a slightly higher estimate of $8,487.

You May Not Want To Hear How Much Money You Have To Make To Live In Northern California (8)

There is a small flicker of hope for those looking to live in Northern California (or California in general). According to this chart, cost of utilities in our state are actually not all that bad—well, in comparison to the rest of the country, that is. The chart shows that Californians spend an average of $438 per month on utilities including electricity, natural gas, internet, cable, and water. The states with the highest cost of utilities are Hawaii ($730.86), Alaska ($527.96), Rhode Island ($521.98), Connecticut ($496.07), and New York ($477.31).

You May Not Want To Hear How Much Money You Have To Make To Live In Northern California (9)

Thinking about raising a family in California? You might want to check out this infographic which highlights the cost of childcare in the state versus the cost of college tuition. California ranks pretty high, with an estimated cost of $16.5k for full-time, center-based childcare and $9.7k for annual tuition and fees at public college.

You May Not Want To Hear How Much Money You Have To Make To Live In Northern California (10)

Without a doubt, California living is expensive. If you're thinking of living here, or you already live here, you might want to consider getting into the state's most profitable business: Machinery and Mechanical Appliances, which is valued at $26.8 billion.

What do you think about these infographics? Is the cost of living in Northern California high enough to scare you away from living there? Or do other factors play into your decision to call NorCal home?

We could all use a little pick-me-up after delving into that information, so be sure to check out our list of the 11 best places to live in Northern California and why. Because the Northern California cost of living shouldn’t deter you from enjoying this beautiful region.

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

More to Explore

Cost of living in Northern California

Chris Muras|January 04, 2023

Is NorCal cheaper than SoCal?

You may or may not be surprised to learn that living in NorCal is cheaper than living in SoCal - as long as you leave out the Bay Area. When you include the San Francisco Bay area the cost of living skyrockets. In fact, the Bay Area is 55 percent more expensive than LA.

Which city in California has the lowest cost of living?

The California city with the lowest cost of living might just be Bakersfield. This lovely city a bit north of Los Angeles actually has a rather affordable (by California standards) median home price of $350,000. The cost of living in Bakersfield is 24 percent lower than the California average.

What is the nicest cheapest place to live in California?

Everyone knows California is an expensive place to live. However, not all cities in the state are equal when it comes to the cost of living there. It also depends on what areas you are comparing to. The cost of living in Northern California is much cheaper as long as you completely ignore the Bay Area. What that said, here are some nice and relatively cheap places to live in California:

Desert Edge, Riverside County, CA
Big River, San Bernardino County, CA
Needles, San Bernardino County, CA
Gerber, Tehama County, CA
Alturas, Modoc County, CA
Lake Isabella, Kern County, CA
Eureka, Humboldt County, CA
Redlands, San Bernardino County, CA
Oxnard, Ventura County, CA
Camarillo, Ventura County, CA

If you are looking for more picturesque small towns in Northern California to explore try these 15 lovely towns. Then plan a road trip through beautiful Northern California.

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You May Not Want To Hear How Much Money You Have To Make To Live In Northern California (2024)

FAQs

How much do you need to make to live in northern California? ›

Overall, SmartAsset found that to live comfortably in any major city, you need to make about $96,500 annually, up immensely from the nearly $68,500 it estimated last year. A family of four would need to make much more at $235,000 to avoid living paycheck to paycheck. You can view SmartAsset's full list here.

What is the minimum salary to live comfortably in California? ›

While California ranks third-most expensive for a single adult to live comfortably at $113,652, it only ranks fifth-most expensive for two working adults raising two children. The total family income should be at least $276,724 in the latter case.

Is $30 an hour good in California? ›

California ranks number 4 out of 50 states nationwide for 30$ An Hour job salaries. To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for 30$ An Hour jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.

Can you survive on minimum wage in California? ›

Is the minimum wage enough to live on? California's minimum is high enough to ensure that full-time workers earn more than the federal poverty threshold. The state's expensive cost of living, however, means a minimum wage income might not be enough to make ends meet.

Is $50,000 enough to live in California? ›

A good salary in California varies widely depending on location and industry, ranging from $50K to $100K. California ranks as the fourth most expensive state in the U.S. for living costs. In Los Angeles, households spend an average of $67,587 annually, with housing and transportation being major expenses.

What is considered low income in California? ›

Very-Low, Low and Moderate-Income Limits
Household SizeVery-Low IncomeLow-Income
1$11,550 or less$11,551 - $19,300
2$13,200 or less$13,201 - $22,050
3$14,900 or less$14,901 - $24,800
4$16,550 or less$16,551 - $27,550
4 more rows

Is $20 an hour enough to live in California? ›

If we look at an adult with one child, the MIT living wage calculator is about $45 an hour, so even this $20 per hour is far below what MIT suggests for a living wage," Leigh said. MIT's living wage calculator considers expenses for a living wage to cover basic needs, such as food, health care and housing.

How much is $80,000 a year per hour? ›

$80,000 a year is how much an hour? If you make $80,000 a year, your hourly salary would be $38.46.

What is a livable salary for a single person? ›

But just how much does a single person in California need to make to live comfortably? A new study from Smart Asset determined that a person must make at least $ 89,190 to get by comfortably.

What salary is $40 an hour? ›

If you make $40 an hour, your yearly salary would be $83,200.

What salary is $25 an hour? ›

If you make $25 an hour, your yearly salary would be $52,000.

How much is $500 a week annually? ›

What is 500 a week annually? Earning $500 in weekly wages is the equivalent of earning $26,000 a year. This calculation is based on the person working 52 weeks a year; the math is 500 x 52, which equals $26,000.

Is $25 an hour good? ›

With careful budgeting and financial planning, $25 is still a viable hourly wage. Even though it's not a particularly high hourly rate, it's still well above the minimum wage rate in most areas. Keep in mind that your take-home pay will also be affected by things like benefits, overtime pay, and possible bonuses.

Is $25 an hour a livable wage? ›

According to research from MIT, the living wage in the United States was $25.02 per hour ($104,077.70 per year) before taxes per year in 2022 for a family of four (two working adults with two children). That's an increase from $24.16 ($100,498.60 per year) in 2021.

What is a survivable salary in California? ›

Here, a single person needs $110,781 annually or $53.26 in hourly wages to be comfortable, according to the data. For a family of two working adults with two children, a salary of $276,557 is needed. Anaheim and Long Beach also made the list, tying for #14.

How much does it cost to live in Northern California? ›

According to 2021 research from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, California's average cost of living is $53,082 annually (rising above $ 70,000 for heavily populated areas like Los Angeles).

Can you live comfortably on 60000 a year in California? ›

The data used in the study analyzed the cost of living in each city as of 2022. For California cities like Los Angeles, Berkeley and San Diego, a single person must make more than $76,000 to “live comfortably,” the data shows.

Is 80k enough to live in California? ›

You need to make at least $80,013 per year to have a "living wage" in California, the survey found. This factors in how much it costs to pay for basic necessities while still having some extra spending money and funds to put aside as savings.

Is 100k a year good in California? ›

While $100,000 may not have much purchasing power in California, the six-figure income goes a long way in other states, mainly due to lower taxes and cost of living rates than in the Golden State.

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