As inflation and the cost of living rise across the U.S., so does the amount of money a resident needs to live comfortably. And residents in Tarrant County are seeing that climb.

According to a new SmartAsset report, single adults living in Fort Worth and Arlington require a $94,765 yearly salary in order to live comfortably in 2024.

That figure represents a jaw-dropping $30,023 more than they needed in 2023, when Fort Worth-area residents needed to make $64,742 a year to live comfortably.

Fort Worth residents would need to make a $45.56 hourly wage individually to lead a comfortable lifestyle and avoid living paycheck to paycheck, says the report, which analyzed 99 major U.S. cities.

For a Fort Worth-based family of four, the total combined income needed to live a secure lifestyle is currently $214,490.

Breaking down the cost of living in Fort Worth
SmartAsset gathered data from MIT's Living Wage Calculator to determine the cost of living for a childless adult and for a family of four (two working adults and two children) in the 99 largest American cities.

To live a financially stable life in Fort Worth, a childless resident would need to spend $47,382.50 of their salary on living expenses, $28,429.50 for discretionary expenses, and put $18,953 toward their savings or debt payments.

Families of four with two adults and two kids would have to spend $107,245 on living expenses, $64,347 on entertainment or hobbies, and put away $42,898 into savings or paying down debt in order to live comfortably in Fort Worth, based on the study's findings.

Despite residents' growing financial constraints, the income necessary to live in Fort Worth is still better than the national average of $96,500 a year for singles and $235,000 per year for a family of four, SmartAsset says.

Elsewhere in Texas
Among Texas cities, Austin has the highest necessary income required to live a financially stable life. A single adult living in Austin would need to make $47.96 an hour, or $99,757 a year, to live comfortably. The combined income needed for two adults with two children is $223,891.

Houston was the No. 1 U.S. city with the lowest annual salary required for a single adult to live a comfortable life. Houstonians need to make $75,088 individually to avoid living paycheck to paycheck, or a $36.10 hourly wage, says the report. The combined income needed for two adults with two children is $175,219.

Dallas surprisingly came in lower than Fort Worth, requiring a $91,770 salary for single adults, and a combined income of $208,000 for families.

The U.S. city requiring the highest salary to live comfortably is New York. Single adults would need to make an hourly wage of $66.62, or an annual salary of $138,570, to prevent living paycheck to paycheck. And for a family of four, the combined salary needed is $318,406 a year, SmartAsset says.

The full report and its methodology can be found on smartasset.com.