Nominal salary tells you how much money you receive. Cost-of-living-adjusted salary tells you how much that money can actually buy. A $200,000 salary in San Francisco and a $140,000 salary in Austin can provide nearly identical purchasing power. Tax differences are not included.
Where Should I Live?
Nominal vs COL-Adjusted Salary
| # | Location | Median (Nominal) | COL Index | Adjusted | COL Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mountain View, CA | $103,575 | 138.5 | $74,783 | #13 (-12) |
| 2 | Redwood Shores, CA | $101,088 | 138.5 | $72,988 | #15 (-13) |
| 3 | Hoboken, NE | $100,400 | 90.8 | $110,573 | #1 (+2) |
| 4 | Sunnyvale, CA | $96,313 | 138.5 | $69,540 | #17 (-13) |
| 5 | Armonk, NY | $94,800 | 125.1 | $75,779 | #12 (-7) |
| 6 | Foster City, CA | $92,500 | 138.5 | $66,787 | #21 (-15) |
| 7 | Oakbrook Terrace, IL | $90,000 | 92.3 | $97,508 | #3 (+4) |
| 8 | Menlo Park, CA | $90,000 | 138.5 | $64,982 | #22 (-14) |
| 9 | San Bruno, CA | $89,752 | 138.5 | $64,803 | #23 (-14) |
| 10 | Jersey City, NE | $88,550 | 90.8 | $97,522 | #2 (+8) |
| 11 | Palo Alto, CA | $87,250 | 138.5 | $62,996 | #24 (-13) |
| 12 | New York, NE | $87,000 | 90.8 | $95,815 | #4 (+8) |
| 13 | Wilton, CT | $85,858 | 112.8 | $76,115 | #11 (+2) |
| 14 | Purchase, NY | $85,000 | 125.1 | $67,946 | #19 (-5) |
| 15 | Roseland, NJ | $85,000 | 113.7 | $74,758 | #14 (+1) |
| 16 | LONG ISLAND CITY, NE | $83,616 | 90.8 | $92,088 | #5 (+11) |
| 17 | Stamford, CO | $83,500 | 105.5 | $79,147 | #10 (+7) |
| 18 | San Ramon, CA | $80,054 | 138.5 | $57,800 | #25 (-7) |
| 19 | Norwalk, CT | $80,000 | 112.8 | $70,922 | #16 (+3) |
| 20 | Iselin, NE | $79,934 | 90.8 | $88,033 | #7 (+13) |
| 21 | BROOKLYN, NE | $79,934 | 90.8 | $88,033 | #8 (+13) |
| 22 | MANSFIELD, MA | $79,691 | 146.5 | $54,397 | #30 (-8) |
| 23 | Bentonville, AR | $79,470 | 89.0 | $89,292 | #6 (+17) |
| 24 | Round Rock, TX | $77,823 | 92.7 | $83,951 | #9 (+15) |
| 25 | JERSEY CITY, NJ | $77,750 | 113.7 | $68,382 | #18 (+7) |
| 26 | Redwood City, CA | $77,324 | 138.5 | $55,830 | #26 |
| 27 | Hoboken, NJ | $77,000 | 113.7 | $67,722 | #20 (+7) |
| 28 | South San Francisco, CA | $76,648 | 138.5 | $55,342 | #27 (+1) |
| 29 | Cupertino, CA | $75,608 | 138.5 | $54,591 | #28 (+1) |
| 30 | Dublin, CA | $75,588 | 138.5 | $54,576 | #29 (+1) |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Accountants and Auditors is in Mountain View, CA at $103,575, but after cost-of-living adjustment Hoboken, NE offers the best purchasing power at $110,573 equivalent.
- Hidden gem: Bentonville, AR ranks #23 by nominal pay but climbs to #6 once cost of living is factored in (up 17 spots), making its $79,470 go a lot further.
- Beware: Foster City, CA looks strong at #6 on nominal pay ($92,500) but its high cost of living drops it 15 spots to #21 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a Accountants and Auditors wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.