(NEXSTAR) – The income you earn can differ significantly based on your location in the U.S. Although the cost of living keeps climbing nationwide, the national income levels are also gradually increasing.
A recent analysis by SmartAsset reveals that Americans experienced a 1.3% boost in household income from the previous year, with the average household earning about $83,730 annually.
Certain cities experienced a noticeably larger income surge compared to others. To pinpoint these cities, SmartAsset reviewed the newest U.S. Census Bureau data to assess the median household income among residents in the 50 largest U.S. cities for both 2023 and 2024.
Tampa, FL landed at the top of the list with a 15.46% increase in household income, going from the average income being $72,851 to now being $84,114.
After Tampa, three California cities were listed with Long Beach, San Francisco, and Fresno all seeing between a 10-11% increase in household income.
Here are the 15 cities that are seeing more income year over year than the rest of the country, according to SmartAsset.
| Rank | City | Change in household income | Household income, 2024 | Household income, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tampa, FL | 15.46% | $84,114 | $72,851 |
| 2 | Long Beach, CA | 11.90% | $91,318 | $81,606 |
| 3 | San Francisco, CA | 10.31% | $139,801 | $126,730 |
| 4 | Fresno, CA | 10.19% | $74,491 | $67,603 |
| 5 | Louisville, KY | 9.37% | $67,251 | $61,488 |
| 6 | San Jose, CA | 8.81% | $148,226 | $136,229 |
| 7 | Baltimore, MD | 8.73% | $64,778 | $59,579 |
| 8 | Tucson, AZ | 8.57% | $60,483 | $55,708 |
| 9 | Chicago, IL | 8.24% | $80,613 | $74,474 |
| 10 | Mesa, AZ | 8.13% | $85,580 | $79,145 |
| 11 | Columbus, OH | 7.59% | $67,084 | $62,350 |
| 12 | Arlington, TX | 7.48% | $74,388 | $69,208 |
| 13 | Kansas City, MO | 7.26% | $69,958 | $65,225 |
| 14 | Charlotte, NC | 7.24% | $86,416 | $80,581 |
| 15 | Tulsa, OK | 7.23% | $60,930 | $56,821 |
On the other end of the spectrum, several cities are actually making less money year over year.
In terms of decreased income, Minneapolis, MN, tops the list of major cities, with a decline of 4.04% in household income year over year. Following Minneapolis, Miami, FL, experienced a 3.35% reduction in income.
Here’s the full list of cities seeing less money on average, according to SmartAsset.
| Rank | City | Change in household income | Household income, 2024 | Household income, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | Minneapolis, MN | -4.04% | $77,732 | $81,001 |
| 49 | Miami, FL | -3.35% | $66,337 | $68,635 |
| 48 | Denver, CO | -1.76% | $92,504 | $94,157 |
| 47 | Seattle, WA | -1.54% | $118,745 | $120,608 |
| 46 | Raleigh, NC | -1.45% | $85,060 | $86,309 |
| 45 | Austin, TX | -1.17% | $90,430 | $91,501 |
| 44 | Nashville, TN | -0.16% | $80,090 | $80,217 |
To see the full list of cities, check out SmartAsset’s study on their website.
