Going into 2026, a viral set of “comfort income” estimates has people arguing like it’s the finale of a prestige drama: Is America basically unaffordable—or are these studies defining “comfortable” in a way most of us don’t actually live? The truth is messier, more revealing, and—depending on your zip code—more frightening than the headline.
Below is what the data actually measures, why the numbers explode, and the behind-the-scenes assumptions most posts conveniently skip.
One widely shared benchmark making the rounds says a single adult needs about $106,745 a year to live “comfortably,” while a couple needs about $138,643.
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