Despite the fact that the American housing market has been at a remarkably low ebb, and the economy’s future remains uncertain, you still might find yourself in the market for a new home and neighborhood in 2025. In fact, you may even be shooting for some of America’s best suburbs. Curious where they might be?
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GOBankingRates recently located America’s 120 best suburbs, based on Niche.com’s Best Suburbs in America listing. From that list, GOBankingRates cross-referenced cost-of-living data from Sperling’s BestPlaces, livability indexes from AreaVibes, home value information from Zillow, mortgage rates from Federal Reserve Economic Data and more. From that came a list of fantastic American suburbs that would be the perfect places to live.
Some of these suburbs are rather pricey. Indeed, one would need a salary of at least $300,000 to live comfortably in six of these locales. Also check out the salary needed to afford America’s 50 biggest cities.
Brookline, Massachusetts
- Livability score: 85
- Annual cost of living: $173,097
- Median income: $130,600
- Annual income needed to live comfortably: $346,194
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Hermosa Beach, California
- Livability score: 72
- Annual cost of living: $176,074
- Median income: $149,500
- Annual income needed to live comfortably: $352,147
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University Park, Texas
- Livability score: 83
- Annual cost of living: $176,908
- Median income: $250,000
- Annual income needed to live comfortably: $353,815
Mountain View, California
- Livability score: 85
- Annual cost of living: $179,834
- Median income: $174,156
- Annual income needed to live comfortably: $359,668
Santa Monica, California
- Livability score: 73
- Annual cost of living: $181,746
- Median income: $106,797
- Annual income needed to live comfortably: $363,492
Manhattan Beach, California
- Livability score: 73
- Annual cost of living: $222,168
- Median income: $187,217
- Annual income needed to live comfortably: $444,337
Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates found the household salary needed to live comfortably in America’s best suburbs. GOBankingRates found the best 120 suburbs, according to Niche.com’s 2024 Best Suburbs in America. For each location, GoBankingRates found total population, population ages 65 and over, total households and household median income — all sourced from the U.S. Census American Community Survey. The cost-of-living indexes were sourced from Sperling’s BestPlaces and include the grocery, healthcare, housing, utilities, transportation and miscellaneous indexes. Using the cost of living for groceries, healthcare, utilities, transportation and miscellaneous, as well as the national average expenditure costs, as sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey, the average expenditure cost for each location was calculated. The livability index was sourced from AreaVibes for each location. The average single-family home value was sourced from Zillow Home Value Index for September 2024. Using the average home value, assuming a 10% down payment, and using the most recent national average 30-year fixed mortgage rate, as sourced from the Federal Reserve Economic Data, the average mortgage was calculated. Using the average mortgage and average expenditure costs, the average total monthly and annual cost of living was calculated. Using the 50/30/20 rule that states that needs should not exceed 50% of household income, the total cost of living was doubled in order to find the household income needed to live comfortably in America’s best suburbs. In order to qualify for this study, the suburbs had to have all data available. The suburbs were then sorted to show the cheapest to most expensive total cost of living. All data was collected on and is up to date as of Nov. 12, 2024.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 6 Great American Suburbs Where You Need a Salary of $300K To Live Comfortably
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