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 | Redmond, WA | $139,512 | 114.6 | $121,738 | #3 (-2) |
| 2 | Cupertino, CA | $130,000 | 138.5 | $93,863 | #6 (-4) |
| 3 | Mountain View, CA | $128,800 | 138.5 | $92,996 | #7 (-4) |
| 4 | Menlo Park, CA | $125,279 | 138.5 | $90,454 | #8 (-4) |
| 5 | Redwood City, CA | $116,500 | 138.5 | $84,116 | #11 (-6) |
| 6 | Iselin, NE | $111,717 | 90.8 | $123,036 | #1 (+5) |
| 7 | South Plainfield, NE | $111,717 | 90.8 | $123,036 | #2 (+5) |
| 8 | Milpitas, CA | $110,000 | 138.5 | $79,422 | #13 (-5) |
| 9 | Palo Alto, CA | $108,155 | 138.5 | $78,090 | #14 (-5) |
| 10 | Wilton, CO | $106,894 | 105.5 | $101,321 | #5 (+5) |
| 11 | San Mateo, CA | $105,000 | 138.5 | $75,812 | #15 (-4) |
| 12 | Sunnyvale, CA | $105,000 | 138.5 | $75,812 | #16 (-4) |
| 13 | Emeryville, CA | $105,000 | 138.5 | $75,812 | #17 (-4) |
| 14 | Princeton, NE | $103,688 | 90.8 | $114,194 | #4 (+10) |
| 15 | San Jose, CA | $103,397 | 138.5 | $74,655 | #18 (-3) |
| 16 | PASADENA, CA | $102,476 | 138.5 | $73,990 | #19 (-3) |
| 17 | Santa Clara, CA | $100,755 | 138.5 | $72,747 | #20 (-3) |
| 18 | SANTA MONICA, CA | $100,000 | 138.5 | $72,202 | #21 (-3) |
| 19 | Hackensack, NJ | $100,000 | 113.7 | $87,951 | #9 (+10) |
| 20 | Somerset, NJ | $96,824 | 113.7 | $85,157 | #10 (+10) |
| 21 | Foster City, CA | $95,100 | 138.5 | $68,664 | #22 (-1) |
| 22 | San Francisco, CA | $95,014 | 138.5 | $68,602 | #23 (-1) |
| 23 | Fremont, CA | $95,000 | 138.5 | $68,592 | #24 (-1) |
| 24 | Wilton, CT | $94,000 | 112.8 | $83,333 | #12 (+12) |
| 25 | MARLBOROUGH, MA | $92,165 | 146.5 | $62,911 | #28 (-3) |
| 26 | South San Francisco, CA | $92,000 | 138.5 | $66,426 | #25 (+1) |
| 27 | Concord, CA | $91,990 | 138.5 | $66,419 | #26 (+1) |
| 28 | BERKELEY, CA | $90,376 | 138.5 | $65,253 | #27 (+1) |
| 29 | Andover, MA | $90,000 | 146.5 | $61,433 | #29 |
| 30 | Waltham, MA | $90,000 | 146.5 | $61,433 | #30 |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Engineers, All Other is in Redmond, WA at $139,512, but after cost-of-living adjustment Iselin, NE offers the best purchasing power at $123,036 equivalent.
- Hidden gem: Wilton, CT ranks #24 by nominal pay but climbs to #12 once cost of living is factored in (up 12 spots), making its $94,000 go a lot further.
- Beware: Redwood City, CA looks strong at #5 on nominal pay ($116,500) but its high cost of living drops it 6 spots to #11 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a Engineers, All Other wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.