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In New York City, a $100,000 Salary Feels Like $36,000

After taxes and adjusting for the sky-high cost of living, a six-figure paycheck doesn’t take you as far as you might expect.

The Manhattan skyline from Gantry Plaza State Park in the Long Island City neighborhood in the Queens borough of New York.

The Manhattan skyline from Gantry Plaza State Park in the Long Island City neighborhood in the Queens borough of New York.

Photographer: Ismail Ferdous/Bloomberg
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For many, earning a salary topping $100,000 feels like a mark of success — but how far it goes depends on where you live. In New York City, that annual paycheck is worth just $36,000, after taxes and accounting for the steep cost of living.