Washington DC vs Austin: where does a patent attorney save more?
Best for saving: Washington DC — about $9,690/mo after taxes and living costs.
Washington DC US ★ Best for saving | Austin US | |
|---|---|---|
| Median salary | $265,662 | $208,541 |
| Take-home / mo | $13,670 | $11,952 |
| Income tax | ~38% | ~31% |
| Living costs / mo | $3,980 | $2,910 |
| Savings / mo | $9,690 | $9,042 |
| Savings rate | 71% | 76% |
| Verdict | Excellent | Excellent |
Single professional, after-tax. "Savings" = take-home − a baseline cost of living. A planning estimate, not financial advice.
How we calculated this
• Salary: BLS/OECD median for a patent attorney, adjusted per city.
• Tax: each country's single-filer effective rate (e.g. US ~38%, US ~31%).
• Living costs: a single professional's baseline monthly budget per city.
Estimates, not financial or tax advice. Updated 2026.