You need this salary to live comfortably in North Texas in 2025, report says
Whether it’s rent, groceries or an occasional night out, it’s no secret that life in North Texas isn’t as affordable as it used to be.
For some, it’s about keeping up with bills without stress; for others, it’s about finally feeling stable enough to save or travel.
A new report tried to put a number on that feeling, calculating what “comfortable” living looks like across major U.S. cities in 2025.
For people in Dallas-Fort Worth, researchers found it now takes a six-figure salary to reach that level of financial ease. Here’s what to know.
How much does it cost for a single adult to live comfortably in DFW?
A single adult in Dallas-Fort Worth needs an annual income of $107,061 before taxes to live comfortably, according to a data study by Upgraded Points, a website that helps customers maximize their credit card rewards points.
The report defines “comfortable” as being able to cover necessities while still having enough to save and spend without financial strain.
The DFW metro ranks 26th nationally for the highest salary required for a single adult. For comparison, the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos area tops the state with a required income of $114,659, while the Houston-Pasadena-Woodlands area sits at $93,818 and the San Antonio-New Braunfels area comes in at $93,355.
What if I’m living with a partner or raising kids?
The cost of living comfortably increases sharply once kids enter the picture.
For a household with two adults and no children, the combined income needed in Dallas-Fort Worth is $137,978. Add one child, and that number jumps to $184,228.
Families with two children need about $220,982, while those with three children would need to bring in $264,534 annually to maintain the same level of comfort.
Those estimates include everyday costs like childcare, healthcare, housing, and food. The study also found that the median personal income in DFW is $51,609, while the median family income sits at $113,951.
How does Texas compare to the rest of the country?
Across the state, a single adult needs $96,506 per year to live comfortably, the report found.
That’s higher than in places like North Dakota, Ohio, Iowa, Arkansas, and Indiana, where a comfortable single-adult salary falls below $88,000.
On the other end of the spectrum, California cities dominate the list of most expensive places to live. A single adult in San Jose, San Francisco, or San Diego would need roughly $163,000 per year to live comfortably.
Meanwhile, the least expensive metro areas include Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Tucson, where single adults can manage on under $87,000 a year.
How did researchers calculate these numbers?
Researchers used what’s known as the 50/30/20 budget rule, a common guideline for financial planning.
It divides income into 50% for necessities, 30% for discretionary spending, and 20% for savings or debt repayment.
Using data from the Economic Policy Institute and the U.S. Census Bureau, analysts calculated local costs of living based on essentials such as housing, food, childcare, healthcare, and transportation.
They then adjusted all the data to 2025 dollars to reflect inflation and current market trends.
