Having a $150,000 salary is great, but you have to know where to spend it, save it and live with it. There are over 30,000 towns and cities in America, and knowing where to settle down within your budget can help determine quality of life, the amount of your salary you can save and even allow you to make more. There are many opportunities to do so in the American Midwest.
To find the 20 best Midwest cities to live if you make $150,000, GOBankingRates located the cities with the highest livability indexes, and cross-referenced those metros against cost of living indexes, labor statistics and home values. We then utilized the 50/30/20 finance rule (in which the cost of living for necessities was doubled in order to establish a comfortable cost of living rate for each city found). The cities were then ranked by overall livability to find the very best that the Midwest has to offer.
Key Findings
- The Midwest has the best city in America for a $150,000 salary: Worthington, Ohio is not only the top metro in the 20 best cities for a $150,000 salary in the Midwest, but the highest ranked city in the entire nation.
- Michigan and Ohio dominate the Midwest: Michigan and Ohio each have five cities in the overall best Midwestern cities in which to make $150,000.
- University Heights, Ohio is the cheapest metro that’s best for a $150,000 salary: Of the cities in the top 20, University Heights has the lowest cost of living at $80,735 annually.
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1. Worthington, Ohio
- Median household income: $124,734
- Average home value: $488,617
- Total cost of necessities (annually): $56,241
- Comfortable cost of living (annually): $112,482
- Livability: 94
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2. Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin
- Median household income: $154,255
- Average home value: $628,843
- Total cost of necessities (annually): $66,076
- Comfortable cost of living (annually): $132,152
- Livability: 93
3. University Heights, Ohio
- Median household income: $98,474
- Average home value: $272,009
- Total cost of necessities (annually): $40,367
- Comfortable cost of living (annually): $80,735
- Livability: 93
4. Bexley, Ohio
- Median household income: $152,526
- Average home value: $569,585
- Total cost of necessities (annually): $61,184
- Comfortable cost of living (annually): $122,367
- Livability: 92
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5. Shorewood, Wisconsin
- Median household income: $89,135
- Average home value: $547,275
- Total cost of necessities (annually): $61,026
- Comfortable cost of living (annually): $122,052
- Livability: 92
6. Ankeny, Iowa
- Median household income: $106,603
- Average home value: $354,444
- Total cost of necessities (annually): $46,968
- Comfortable cost of living (annually): $93,937
- Livability: 92
7. Rochester, Minnesota
- Median household income: $87,767
- Average home value: $339,605
- Total cost of necessities (annually): $45,180
- Comfortable cost of living (annually): $90,360
- Livability: 92
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8. Clawson, Michigan
- Median household income: $86,630
- Average home value: $285,429
- Total cost of necessities (annually): $43,020
- Comfortable cost of living (annually): $86,039
- Livability: 92
9. Traverse City, Michigan
- Median household income: $71,731
- Average home value: $446,720
- Total cost of necessities (annually): $51,302
- Comfortable cost of living (annually): $102,604
- Livability: 91
10. Farmington, Michigan
- Median household income: $94,115
- Average home value: $335,790
- Total cost of necessities (annually): $47,038
- Comfortable cost of living (annually): $94,076
- Livability: 91
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11. Ames, Iowa
- Median household income: $60,102
- Average home value: $323,343
- Total cost of necessities (annually): $45,159
- Comfortable cost of living (annually): $90,318
- Livability: 91
12. Berkley, Michigan
- Median household income: $113,103
- Average home value: $306,233
- Total cost of necessities (annually): $44,807
- Comfortable cost of living (annually): $89,614
- Livability: 91
13. Upper Arlington, Ohio
- Median household income: $150,993
- Average home value: $671,069
- Total cost of necessities (annually): $68,152
- Comfortable cost of living (annually): $136,304
- Livability: 90
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14. Middleton, Wisconsin
- Median household income: $85,526
- Average home value: $638,430
- Total cost of necessities (annually): $66,474
- Comfortable cost of living (annually): $132,948
- Livability: 90
15. Verona, Wisconsin
- Median household income: $119,148
- Average home value: $611,572
- Total cost of necessities (annually): $65,145
- Comfortable cost of living (annually): $130,290
- Livability: 90
16. Solon, Ohio
- Median household income: $135,180
- Average home value: $453,833
- Total cost of necessities (annually): $53,051
- Comfortable cost of living (annually): $106,102
- Livability: 90
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17. Urbandale, Iowa
- Median household income: $113,086
- Average home value: $365,750
- Total cost of necessities (annually): $46,995
- Comfortable cost of living (annually): $93,989
- Livability: 90
18. West Lafayette, Indiana
- Median household income: $33,497
- Average home value: $366,471
- Total cost of necessities (annually): $46,499
- Comfortable cost of living (annually): $92,997
- Livability: 90
19. Marquette, Michigan
- Median household income: $55,825
- Average home value: $310,827
- Total cost of necessities (annually): $45,072
- Comfortable cost of living (annually): $90,144
- Livability: 90
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20. Edwardsville, Illinois
- Median household income: $92,671
- Average home value: $318,092
- Total cost of necessities (annually): $45,034
- Comfortable cost of living (annually): $90,068
- Livability: 90
Editor’s note: Photos are for representational purposes only and might not reflect the exact locations listed.
Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed places across America to find the best to live once your salary hits $150K. First, GOBankingRates identified cities with the highest livability indexes, as sourced from AreaVibes. For each city, a number of factors were found including: total population, population ages 65 and over, total households, and median household income — all sourced from the U.S. Census 2023 five-year ACS. The cost of living indexes were sourced from Sperlings BestPlaces and, by using the national average expenditure costs for all households as sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey for all consumer units, the average expenditure cost can be calculated. The average single family home value was sourced from Zillow Home Value Index and, by using the national average 30-year fixed mortgage rate as sourced from the Federal Reserve Economic Data, the average mortgage can be calculated. Using the average mortgage and expenditure costs, the cost of living for necessities can be calculated. Using the 50/30/20 finance rule that states needs should not exceed 50% of median household income, the cost of living for necessities was doubled to find the comfortable cost of living. Places with a comfortable cost of living above $150,000 were removed for this study. Places with a livability of 85 and below were removed, as well, as they represent places with less than ideal quality of life. The remaining cities were sorted to show the highest livability locations first, representing the best places to live once your salary hits $150K. Places with tied livability were sorted by the lowest cost of living first. All data was collected on and is up to date as of November 25th, 2025.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 20 Best Midwest Cities To Live if You Make $150K Salary
