In the affluent region of California, a city has earned the title of the fourth most ‘impossibly unaffordable’ place globally, exceeded only by three major international cities.

San Jose, a principal city situated amidst the hills of Silicon Valley, has been identified as the most expensive large city in the United States, requiring an extraordinary $370,000 annual household income for a comfortable lifestyle, according to this year’s Silicon Valley Pain Index report.

Its exorbitant cost of living is not only striking by American standards – it ranks as the fourth-most ‘impossibly unaffordable’ city worldwide, following only renowned cities such as Hong Kong, Sydney, and Vancouver.

According to the latest data from the Social Security Administration, the average salary in the U.S. is $66,622 – nearly 82 percent lower  than the $370,000 annual income needed to live in San Jose.

Even more shocking, the annual income needed to live comfortably has skyrocketed – rising by 54 percent in just a mere six years. 

The shock factor doesn’t ease up for renters either – the income needed just to afford rent aligns almost exactly with what personal finance experts recommend you spend on a total housing budget.

In 2024 alone, the median home price in Silicon Valley soared to an eye-watering $1.92 million. 

To afford even a temporary rental while staying within the recommended 30 percent income guideline, a renter would need to earn an eye-watering $136,532 a year. 

Nearly half of Silicon Valley’s renters and homeowners are struggling, spending over 30 percent of their income just to keep a roof over their heads. 

The report – published by researchers at San Jose State University’s Human Rights Institute – also revealed that Silicon Valley’s wealth gap is growing twice as fast as the rest of the nation.

Alarmingly, just nine households – making up a tiny 0.01 percent of the population – control 15 percent Silicon Valley’s total wealth, according to data from the Silicon Valley Index. 

But 0.1 percent of Silicon Valley residents hold a staggering 71 percent of the region’s wealth. 

Worryingly, 201,000 households in the region have less than $5,000 in savings or assets – barely enough to cover a major emergency. 

Experts pointed to soaring housing costs as a key reason San Jose was rapidly aging – meaning younger people and families moved away because living there had become too expensive, while older residents tended to stay put.

To meet the state’s housing goals, San Jose would have to build a staggering 7,775 homes every year until 2031 – more than four times the city’s current annual record of 1,710. 

But it’s not just about money – it’s about how these challenges impact everyday life and the overall health of the community. 

Beyond the sky-high prices, researchers labeled the region as America’s ‘#1 in societal pain’ – a term describing personal and community struggles that deeply harmed resident’s quality of life. 

Some of the root causes of this distress included pay inequality affecting both women and people of color, widespread layoffs in the tech sector, a growing homeless population and rising rates of sexually transmitted infections and infant mortality, according to the report.

In 2024, Silicon Valley experienced its highest infant mortality rate in five years. 

Black and African American babies in the region are over four times more likely to die before their first birthday than White babies (8.3 vs. 2.0 per 1,000 births).

However, the report also highlighted some positive changes in the region, including a decrease in use-of-force incidents by the San Jose Police Department while on duty. 

Other positive developments include expanded services for homeless and housing-insecure residents, as well as new pilot programs launched by local officials to address challenges like homelessness among college students.