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 | Tarrytown, NE | $98,587 | 90.8 | $108,576 | #1 |
| 2 | Devens, MA | $97,000 | 146.5 | $66,212 | #12 (-10) |
| 3 | NORTH CHICAGO, IL | $96,000 | 92.3 | $104,009 | #2 (+1) |
| 4 | Silver Spring, MD | $94,796 | 116.5 | $81,370 | #3 (+1) |
| 5 | Santa Clara, CA | $93,621 | 138.5 | $67,596 | #8 (-3) |
| 6 | Redwood City, CA | $93,336 | 138.5 | $67,390 | #9 (-3) |
| 7 | Menlo Park, CA | $92,414 | 138.5 | $66,725 | #10 (-3) |
| 8 | Foster City, CA | $91,728 | 138.5 | $66,230 | #11 (-3) |
| 9 | Ridgefield, CT | $90,855 | 112.8 | $80,545 | #4 (+5) |
| 10 | Emeryville, CA | $89,612 | 138.5 | $64,701 | #14 (-4) |
| 11 | South San Francisco, CA | $88,018 | 138.5 | $63,551 | #16 (-5) |
| 12 | Lexington, MA | $88,000 | 146.5 | $60,068 | #19 (-7) |
| 13 | Thousand Oaks, CA | $85,758 | 138.5 | $61,919 | #18 (-5) |
| 14 | Tarrytown, NY | $85,475 | 125.1 | $68,325 | #7 (+7) |
| 15 | BETHESDA, MA | $81,515 | 146.5 | $55,642 | #21 (-6) |
| 16 | Novato, CA | $81,409 | 138.5 | $58,779 | #20 (-4) |
| 17 | Frederick, MA | $81,296 | 146.5 | $55,492 | #23 (-6) |
| 18 | Gaithersburg, MA | $80,750 | 146.5 | $55,119 | #24 (-6) |
| 19 | Chandler, AZ | $78,000 | 108.4 | $71,956 | #5 (+14) |
| 20 | San Diego, CA | $76,900 | 138.5 | $55,523 | #22 (-2) |
| 21 | Cambridge, MA | $76,774 | 146.5 | $52,405 | #26 (-5) |
| 22 | Bothell, WA | $75,750 | 114.6 | $66,099 | #13 (+9) |
| 23 | Worcester, MA | $75,679 | 146.5 | $51,658 | #27 (-4) |
| 24 | Palo Alto, CA | $75,000 | 138.5 | $54,152 | #25 (-1) |
| 25 | Rockville, MA | $75,000 | 146.5 | $51,195 | #28 (-3) |
| 26 | Gaithersburg, MD | $74,795 | 116.5 | $64,202 | #15 (+11) |
| 27 | Frederick, MD | $73,969 | 116.5 | $63,493 | #17 (+10) |
| 28 | Watertown, MA | $73,811 | 146.5 | $50,383 | #30 (-2) |
| 29 | Newark, DE | $72,000 | 101.1 | $71,217 | #6 (+23) |
| 30 | Oceanside, CA | $70,803 | 138.5 | $51,121 | #29 (+1) |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Biochemists and Biophysicists is in Tarrytown, NE at $98,587, but after cost-of-living adjustment Tarrytown, NE offers the best purchasing power at $108,576 equivalent.
- Hidden gem: Newark, DE ranks #29 by nominal pay but climbs to #6 once cost of living is factored in (up 23 spots), making its $72,000 go a lot further.
- Beware: Devens, MA looks strong at #2 on nominal pay ($97,000) but its high cost of living drops it 10 spots to #12 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a Biochemists and Biophysicists wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.