No Roommate Needed: Bay Area Rents on a $100,000 Salary

Some young professionals enjoy sharing a home with other people. However, most of us want the independence of having our own place.

Sounds impossible in major metropolitan areas… especially the insanely expensive San Francisco Bay Area with its large number of millionaires, startup IPOs, and Teslas on the road:

• In 2018, the median, market-rate rent of an apartment, condo or townhome was unaffordable in 72% of the ZIP codes in Bay Area and Santa Cruz County.
• The median market-rate rents in most ZIP codes will take at least 30% of your income before taxes.
• The remaining ZIP codes where you can rent under $2,500 / mo come with heavy commuting commitments if you work in San Francisco or any other areas where jobs concentrate in the Bay Area.

Yet, there are still some areas where you can swing renting a place by yourself on a $100,000 salary, with monthly rent of just under $2,500 a month. Check it out: