{"id":392141,"date":"2025-11-20T11:53:36","date_gmt":"2025-11-20T11:53:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/392141\/"},"modified":"2025-11-20T11:53:36","modified_gmt":"2025-11-20T11:53:36","slug":"average-san-antonio-worker-makes-half-of-whats-needed-to-live-comfortably-study-finds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/392141\/","title":{"rendered":"Average San Antonio worker makes half of what’s needed to live comfortably, study finds"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"TheElevated inflation is sapping workers\u2019 buying power across the country, the report also found. Credit: Artem Bali<\/p>\n

The average San Antonio-area worker is a long way off from living comfortably, according to new research from Credit Card blog Upgraded Points.\u00a0<\/p>\n

A single resident of the SA metro with no spouse or children needs $93,355 to live comfortably, according to Upgraded Points\u2019 report<\/a>. However, the median personal income here is less than half that.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Worse still, San Antonio ranks as the eighth-most-affordable metro to live in, but locals just aren\u2019t being paid enough to enjoy the high life. <\/p>\n

The study analyzed which metros were the most affordable by using data from the Economic Policy Institute\u2019s Family Budget Calculator to determine the cost of living in U.S. cities. Researchers at Upgraded Points then used the U.S. Census Bureau\u2019s 2024 American Community Survey to determine median wages.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The report then applied the 50\/30\/20 rule \u2014 or the notion that 50% of income should go to necessities, 30% to discretionary spending and 20% to savings and debt payments \u2014 to determine what qualified as \u201cliving comfortably.\u201d<\/p>\n

In San Antonio, most families aren\u2019t living comfortably, the report found.\u00a0<\/p>\n

For example, two Alamo City adults with no kids would need to bring home $122,000 annually to pay their bills and still have something left to splurge a bit. That number jumps to a whopping $200,000 for a family of four.\u00a0<\/p>\n

That\u2019s about $33,000 less for a family of four than the national average. Yet the average family of four in our metro only pulls in a median income of $99,000.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Researchers at Upgraded Points blamed elevated inflation and the rapid spread of AI in the workplace for the rampant inequality locally and nationally.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The most expensive metro to live comfortably in was San Jose, California, where a single adult needs $163,000 annually for a cozy existence.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, an adult can live comfortably in Cleveland, Pittsburgh or Tucson the nation\u2019s least-expensive large metros \u2014 for $87,000\u00a0yearly, the report said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Subscribe to SA Current newsletters.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Follow us:\u00a0Apple News<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Google News<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0NewsBreak<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Reddit<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Instagram<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Facebook\u00a0<\/a>| Twitter<\/a>\u00a0| Or sign up for our\u00a0RSS Feed<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Related Stories<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Report:\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\tHowever, only 8% of new listings in San Antonio are selling at a loss, the analysis shows. \t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Cost\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\tLast year, a San Antonio resident needed a little over $59,000 to live comfortably. Now they need $85,000, according to a new study.\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"S.A.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t