SIX FIGS

This is how far a $100k salary goes in Dallas-Fort Worth, study says

Seven Texan cities appear in the study’s top 10 where a six-figure salary goes the furthest.

Many people daydream about making six figures in their career before they enter the workforce. But the rising cost of living certainly throws a wrench in the works. Luckily for Texans, a six-figure salary still goes pretty far in the state.

In a new report from SmartAsset, a $100,000 salary in Texas is worth an average of $77,885 after taxes and adjusted for the cost of living. The financial technology company analyzed income in 76 United States cities, and adjusted them for the cost of living in each location.

Seven Texan cities appear in the study’s top 10 where a six-figure salary goes the furthest. In a three-way tie with San Antonio for No. 7, a person who makes $100,000 a year in Fort Worth and Arlington takes home about $74,515 after taxes. When adjusted for the cost of living, which is seven percent lower than the national average, that money is worth $80,124.

Dallas appears at No. 34 on the list, with the average six-figure earner bringing home $72,345 after taxes. That salary goes a lot less far in the northern Dallas suburb of Plano (No. 59), where the worker brings home $59,422.

The place where $100,000 goes the furthest is Memphis, Tennessee. Much like Texas, Tennessee doesn’t have a state income tax and has a lower cost of living in comparison to the national average.

After Memphis is El Paso at No. 2, followed by Oklahoma City (No. 3), then Corpus Christi (No. 4), Lubbock (No. 5), and Houston (No. 6). After the Texan three-way tie for No. 7, St. Louis, Missouri rounds out the top 10.

The 10 total Texas cities that appear in SmartAsset’s study include:

No. 2 – El Paso
No. 4 – Corpus Christi
No. 5 – Lubbock
No. 6 – Houston
No. 7 – Fort Worth, Arlington, San Antonio (tied)
No. 24 – Austin
No. 34 – Dallas
No. 59 – Plano

The report and its methodology can be found on SmartAsset’s website.

SmartAsset six figures fort worth plano arlington dallas texas salaries

gotta do better than that

Texas is not a great state to live in for 2025, study finds

Photo by Trac Vu on Unsplash

Texas' livability has taken a nosedive in 2025.

Texas' livability has taken a nosedive: After plummeting toward the bottom in WalletHub's 2024 ranking of the best and worst states to live in for 2024, Texas has continued its downfall and now ranks as the 38th "best" state to live in for 2025.

To put it another way, Texas is now considered the 13th worst place to live in the U.S.

WalletHub ranked all 50 states using 51 metrics to measure their affordability, economy, education and health, quality of life, and safety. Factors that were considered include housing affordability, the median debt per median earnings, income growth from 2019 to 2023, high school graduation rates, access to public transportation, and more.

Massachusetts once again claimed the No. 1 spot as the best place to live nationwide, followed by Idaho (No. 2), New Jersey (No. 3), Wisconsin (No. 4), and Minnesota (No. 5).

The Lone Star State fumbled in four out of the five categories, but at least its quality of life ranking (No. 9) still managed to nab a top-10 spot.

According to WalletHub, Texas has the 10th worst economy and the 10th worst education and health, ranking No. 40 in both categories. Confusingly, a separate WalletHub study claimed Texas had the 8th best economy in the nation.

Texas' affordability is only the 34th best in the U.S., and it ranked 38th for safety.

Here's how Texas fared in other rankings in the study out of all 50 states:

No. 30 – Income growth
No. 31 – Housing costs
No. 40 – Percentage of population in poverty
No. 50 – Percentage of insured population
No. 43 – Percentage of adults in fair or poor health
No. 46 – Homeownership rate
No. 49 – Average weekly work hours

Local foodies can at least be satisfied that Texas ranked No. 1 in the category of states with the most restaurants per capita. Texas entered a four-way tie for the top spot with Florida, New York, and California. But having numerous restaurants doesn't make up for the failures in other living standards.

Meanwhile, New Mexico landed as the worst state to live in 2025. Joining the so-called "Land of Enchantment" at the bottom of the list are Louisiana (No. 49), Arkansas (No. 48), Mississippi (No. 47), and Alaska (No. 46).

Before one makes any final decisions on where to live, WalletHub suggests considering other factors than how a state ranked based on a single study.

"You’ll need to balance things like the cost of living with job opportunities, quality of education and safety," the report's author wrote. "Personal preference also comes into the equation, as you’ll want to live somewhere with the types of attractions, recreational opportunities and weather that suit you."

wallethub rankings best states texas