In which US Cities do
Salaries Go
Furthest
In 2021?

Silicon Valley and New York City might pay higher salaries than the rest of the U.S., but are you really getting the best deal when you factor in the considerable cost of living?

We adjusted average salaries overall and by career field across the U.S. by factoring in the cost of living — revealing the cities where your wages could go the furthest.

Compare Metros
Abilene, TX
Abilene, TX
Akron, OH
Albany, GA
Albany-Lebanon, OR
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
Albuquerque, NM
Alexandria, VA
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA
Altoona, PA
Amarillo, TX
Ames, IA
Anchorage, AK
Ann Arbor, MI
Appleton, WI
Asheville, NC
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, GA
Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ
Augusta-Richmond County, GA
Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX
Bakersfield, CA
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD
Bangor, ME
Baton Rouge, LA
Bellingham, WA
Bend, OR
Billings, MT
Binghamton, NY
Birmingham-Hoover, AL
Bismarck, ND
Blacksburg-Christiansburg, VA
Bloomington, IL
Bloomington, IN
Boise City, ID
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA
Boulder, CO
Bowling Green, KY
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY
Burlington-South Burlington, VT
California-Lexington Park, MD
Canton-Massillon, OH
Cape Girardeau, MO
Cedar Rapids, IA
Chambersburg-Waynesboro, PA
Champaign-Urbana, IL
Charleston, WV
Charleston-North Charleston, SC
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC
Charlottesville, VA
Chattanooga, TN
Cheyenne, WY
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL
Chico, CA
Cincinnati, OH
Clarksville, TN
Cleveland, TN
Cleveland-Elyria, OH
Coeur d'Alene, ID
College Station-Bryan, TX
Colorado Springs, CO
Columbia, MO
Columbia, SC
Columbus, GA
Columbus, IN
Columbus, OH
Corpus Christi, TX
Corvallis, OR
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
Dalton, GA
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA
Dayton-Kettering, OH
Decatur, AL
Decatur, IL
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
Dothan, AL
Dover, DE
Dubuque, IA
Duluth, MN
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
Eau Claire, WI
El Paso, TX
Elkhart-Goshen, IN
Erie, PA
Eugene-Springfield, OR
Evansville, IN
Fairbanks, AK
Fargo, ND
Fayetteville, NC
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR
Flagstaff, AZ
Flint, MI
Florence, SC
Fond du Lac, WI
Fort Collins, CO
Fort Wayne, IN
Fresno, CA
Gadsden, AL
Gainesville, FL
Gainesville, GA
Goldsboro, NC
Grand Forks, ND
Grand Island, NE
Grand Junction, CO
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI
Great Falls, MT
Greeley, CO
Green Bay, WI
Greensboro-High Point, NC
Greenville, NC
Greenville-Anderson, SC
Gulfport-Biloxi, MS
Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
Harrisonburg, VA
Hartford-East Hartford-Middletown, CT
Hattiesburg, MS
Hot Springs, AR
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
Huntsville, AL
Idaho Falls, ID
Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN
Iowa City, IA
Ithaca, NY
Jackson, MI
Jackson, MS
Jackson, TN
Jacksonville, FL
Jacksonville, NC
Jefferson City, MO
Johnson City, TN
Johnstown, PA
Jonesboro, AR
Joplin, MO
Kalamazoo-Portage, MI
Kansas City, MO
Kennewick-Richland, WA
Knoxville, TN
Kokomo, IN
La Crosse-Onalaska, WI
Lafayette, LA
Lake Charles, LA
Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL
Lancaster, PA
Lansing-East Lansing, MI
Laredo, TX
Las Cruces, NM
Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV
Lawrence, KS
Lawton, OK
Lincoln, NE
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
Logan, UT
Longview, TX
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY
Lubbock, TX
Lynchburg, VA
Macon-Bibb County, GA
Madison, WI
Manchester-Nashua, NH
Manhattan, KS
Mankato, MN
Mansfield, OH
Medford, OR
Memphis, TN
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL
Michigan City-La Porte, IN
Midland, MI
Midland, TX
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN
Missoula, MT
Mobile, AL
Modesto, CA
Monroe, LA
Montgomery, AL
Morgantown, WV
Muncie, IN
Muskegon, MI
Napa, CA
Naples-Marco Island, FL
Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN
New Haven-Milford, CT
New Orleans-Metairie, LA
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY
Ocala, FL
Odessa, TX
Ogden-Clearfield, UT
Oklahoma City, OK
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA
Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL
Oshkosh-Neenah, WI
Owensboro, KY
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
Panama City, FL
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL
Peoria, IL
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ
Pittsburgh, PA
Pittsfield, MA
Port St. Lucie, FL
Portland-South Portland, ME
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR
Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown, NY
Providence-Warwick, RI
Provo-Orem, UT
Pueblo, CO
Racine, WI
Raleigh-Cary, NC
Rapid City, SD
Reading, PA
Reno, NV
Richmond, VA
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
Roanoke, VA
Rochester, MN
Rochester, NY
Rockford, IL
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
Saginaw, MI
Salem, OR
Salinas, CA
Salisbury, MD
Salt Lake City, UT
San Angelo, TX
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
Santa Fe, NM
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
Savannah, GA
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
Sheboygan, WI
Shreveport-Bossier City, LA
Sioux City, IA
Sioux Falls, SD
South Bend-Mishawaka, IN
Spartanburg, SC
Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
Springfield, IL
Springfield, MA
Springfield, MO
St. Cloud, MN
St. George, UT
St. Louis, MO
State College, PA
Stockton, CA
Syracuse, NY
Tallahassee, FL
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
Terre Haute, IN
Texarkana, TX
Toledo, OH
Topeka, KS
Trenton-Princeton, NJ
Tucson, AZ
Tulsa, OK
Tuscaloosa, AL
Twin Falls, ID
Tyler, TX
Utica-Rome, NY
Valdosta, GA
Vallejo, CA
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA
Visalia, CA
Waco, TX
Warner Robins, GA
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC
Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
Wausau-Weston, WI
Wenatchee, WA
Wheeling, WV
Wichita, KS
Williamsport, PA
Wilmington, NC
Winchester, VA
Winston-Salem, NC
Worcester, MA
Yakima, WA
York-Hanover, PA
Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH
$43,547 Adjusted
Salary
$39,323 Unadjusted
Salary
Compare Metros
Akron, OH
Abilene, TX
Akron, OH
Albany, GA
Albany-Lebanon, OR
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
Albuquerque, NM
Alexandria, VA
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA
Altoona, PA
Amarillo, TX
Ames, IA
Anchorage, AK
Ann Arbor, MI
Appleton, WI
Asheville, NC
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, GA
Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ
Augusta-Richmond County, GA
Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX
Bakersfield, CA
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD
Bangor, ME
Baton Rouge, LA
Bellingham, WA
Bend, OR
Billings, MT
Binghamton, NY
Birmingham-Hoover, AL
Bismarck, ND
Blacksburg-Christiansburg, VA
Bloomington, IL
Bloomington, IN
Boise City, ID
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA
Boulder, CO
Bowling Green, KY
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY
Burlington-South Burlington, VT
California-Lexington Park, MD
Canton-Massillon, OH
Cape Girardeau, MO
Cedar Rapids, IA
Chambersburg-Waynesboro, PA
Champaign-Urbana, IL
Charleston, WV
Charleston-North Charleston, SC
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC
Charlottesville, VA
Chattanooga, TN
Cheyenne, WY
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL
Chico, CA
Cincinnati, OH
Clarksville, TN
Cleveland, TN
Cleveland-Elyria, OH
Coeur d'Alene, ID
College Station-Bryan, TX
Colorado Springs, CO
Columbia, MO
Columbia, SC
Columbus, GA
Columbus, IN
Columbus, OH
Corpus Christi, TX
Corvallis, OR
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
Dalton, GA
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA
Dayton-Kettering, OH
Decatur, AL
Decatur, IL
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
Dothan, AL
Dover, DE
Dubuque, IA
Duluth, MN
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
Eau Claire, WI
El Paso, TX
Elkhart-Goshen, IN
Erie, PA
Eugene-Springfield, OR
Evansville, IN
Fairbanks, AK
Fargo, ND
Fayetteville, NC
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR
Flagstaff, AZ
Flint, MI
Florence, SC
Fond du Lac, WI
Fort Collins, CO
Fort Wayne, IN
Fresno, CA
Gadsden, AL
Gainesville, FL
Gainesville, GA
Goldsboro, NC
Grand Forks, ND
Grand Island, NE
Grand Junction, CO
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI
Great Falls, MT
Greeley, CO
Green Bay, WI
Greensboro-High Point, NC
Greenville, NC
Greenville-Anderson, SC
Gulfport-Biloxi, MS
Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
Harrisonburg, VA
Hartford-East Hartford-Middletown, CT
Hattiesburg, MS
Hot Springs, AR
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
Huntsville, AL
Idaho Falls, ID
Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN
Iowa City, IA
Ithaca, NY
Jackson, MI
Jackson, MS
Jackson, TN
Jacksonville, FL
Jacksonville, NC
Jefferson City, MO
Johnson City, TN
Johnstown, PA
Jonesboro, AR
Joplin, MO
Kalamazoo-Portage, MI
Kansas City, MO
Kennewick-Richland, WA
Knoxville, TN
Kokomo, IN
La Crosse-Onalaska, WI
Lafayette, LA
Lake Charles, LA
Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL
Lancaster, PA
Lansing-East Lansing, MI
Laredo, TX
Las Cruces, NM
Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV
Lawrence, KS
Lawton, OK
Lincoln, NE
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
Logan, UT
Longview, TX
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY
Lubbock, TX
Lynchburg, VA
Macon-Bibb County, GA
Madison, WI
Manchester-Nashua, NH
Manhattan, KS
Mankato, MN
Mansfield, OH
Medford, OR
Memphis, TN
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL
Michigan City-La Porte, IN
Midland, MI
Midland, TX
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN
Missoula, MT
Mobile, AL
Modesto, CA
Monroe, LA
Montgomery, AL
Morgantown, WV
Muncie, IN
Muskegon, MI
Napa, CA
Naples-Marco Island, FL
Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN
New Haven-Milford, CT
New Orleans-Metairie, LA
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY
Ocala, FL
Odessa, TX
Ogden-Clearfield, UT
Oklahoma City, OK
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA
Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL
Oshkosh-Neenah, WI
Owensboro, KY
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
Panama City, FL
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL
Peoria, IL
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ
Pittsburgh, PA
Pittsfield, MA
Port St. Lucie, FL
Portland-South Portland, ME
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR
Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown, NY
Providence-Warwick, RI
Provo-Orem, UT
Pueblo, CO
Racine, WI
Raleigh-Cary, NC
Rapid City, SD
Reading, PA
Reno, NV
Richmond, VA
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
Roanoke, VA
Rochester, MN
Rochester, NY
Rockford, IL
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
Saginaw, MI
Salem, OR
Salinas, CA
Salisbury, MD
Salt Lake City, UT
San Angelo, TX
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
Santa Fe, NM
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
Savannah, GA
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
Sheboygan, WI
Shreveport-Bossier City, LA
Sioux City, IA
Sioux Falls, SD
South Bend-Mishawaka, IN
Spartanburg, SC
Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
Springfield, IL
Springfield, MA
Springfield, MO
St. Cloud, MN
St. George, UT
St. Louis, MO
State College, PA
Stockton, CA
Syracuse, NY
Tallahassee, FL
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
Terre Haute, IN
Texarkana, TX
Toledo, OH
Topeka, KS
Trenton-Princeton, NJ
Tucson, AZ
Tulsa, OK
Tuscaloosa, AL
Twin Falls, ID
Tyler, TX
Utica-Rome, NY
Valdosta, GA
Vallejo, CA
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA
Visalia, CA
Waco, TX
Warner Robins, GA
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC
Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
Wausau-Weston, WI
Wenatchee, WA
Wheeling, WV
Wichita, KS
Williamsport, PA
Wilmington, NC
Winchester, VA
Winston-Salem, NC
Worcester, MA
Yakima, WA
York-Hanover, PA
Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH
$57,166 Adjusted
Salary
$51,449 Unadjusted
Salary

info

We pulled lists of metropolitan areas with cost of living data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, including regional price parity values by metro. Then we pulled city salary data per sector from Payscale and adjusted salaries according to the cost of living data.