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 | Wilmington, DE | $104,728 | 101.1 | $103,589 | #2 (-1) |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $103,000 | 138.5 | $74,368 | #16 (-14) |
| 3 | NORTH CHICAGO, IL | $103,000 | 92.3 | $111,593 | #1 (+2) |
| 4 | Thousand Oaks, CA | $101,850 | 138.5 | $73,538 | #17 (-13) |
| 5 | South San Francisco, CA | $100,235 | 138.5 | $72,372 | #18 (-13) |
| 6 | MARLBOROUGH, MA | $98,779 | 146.5 | $67,426 | #22 (-16) |
| 7 | Redwood City, CA | $97,500 | 138.5 | $70,397 | #20 (-13) |
| 8 | Foster City, CA | $93,600 | 138.5 | $67,581 | #21 (-13) |
| 9 | Midland, MI | $91,315 | 90.6 | $100,789 | #3 (+6) |
| 10 | Indianapolis, IN | $90,797 | 91.0 | $99,777 | #5 (+5) |
| 11 | Freeport, TX | $90,624 | 92.7 | $97,761 | #6 (+5) |
| 12 | Denville, NE | $90,600 | 90.8 | $99,780 | #4 (+8) |
| 13 | Sunnyvale, CA | $88,035 | 138.5 | $63,563 | #23 (-10) |
| 14 | New Castle, DE | $87,500 | 101.1 | $86,548 | #12 (+2) |
| 15 | San Jose, CA | $86,000 | 138.5 | $62,094 | #24 (-9) |
| 16 | Livermore, CA | $85,700 | 138.5 | $61,877 | #25 (-9) |
| 17 | EAST WINDSOR, NE | $85,000 | 90.8 | $93,612 | #7 (+10) |
| 18 | Milford, MA | $84,926 | 146.5 | $57,970 | #28 (-10) |
| 19 | Santa Clara, CA | $84,552 | 138.5 | $61,048 | #26 (-7) |
| 20 | Pleasanton, CA | $81,453 | 138.5 | $58,811 | #27 (-7) |
| 21 | Lexington, MA | $81,154 | 146.5 | $55,395 | #29 (-8) |
| 22 | Ridgefield, CT | $80,912 | 112.8 | $71,731 | #19 (+3) |
| 23 | NEW BRUNSWICK, NE | $80,629 | 90.8 | $88,798 | #8 (+15) |
| 24 | WESTON, FL | $80,392 | 102.8 | $78,202 | #15 (+9) |
| 25 | Brookhaven, NE | $80,004 | 90.8 | $88,110 | #9 (+16) |
| 26 | Pasadena, TX | $79,825 | 92.7 | $86,111 | #14 (+12) |
| 27 | Cranbury, NE | $79,800 | 90.8 | $87,885 | #10 (+17) |
| 28 | Bedford, MA | $79,751 | 146.5 | $54,438 | #30 (-2) |
| 29 | Somerset, NE | $78,707 | 90.8 | $86,682 | #11 (+18) |
| 30 | Piscataway, NE | $78,368 | 90.8 | $86,308 | #13 (+17) |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Chemists is in Wilmington, DE at $104,728, but after cost-of-living adjustment NORTH CHICAGO, IL offers the best purchasing power at $111,593 equivalent.
- Hidden gem: Somerset, NE ranks #29 by nominal pay but climbs to #11 once cost of living is factored in (up 18 spots), making its $78,707 go a lot further.
- Beware: MARLBOROUGH, MA looks strong at #6 on nominal pay ($98,779) but its high cost of living drops it 16 spots to #22 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a Chemists wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.