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 | LONG ISLAND CITY, NE | $137,946 | 90.8 | $151,923 | #1 |
| 2 | Menlo Park, CA | $134,971 | 138.5 | $97,452 | #17 (-15) |
| 3 | SAN CARLOS, CA | $133,000 | 138.5 | $96,029 | #19 (-16) |
| 4 | New York, NE | $130,000 | 90.8 | $143,172 | #2 (+2) |
| 5 | Greenwich, CO | $130,000 | 105.5 | $123,223 | #3 (+2) |
| 6 | Greenwich, CT | $125,000 | 112.8 | $110,816 | #10 (-4) |
| 7 | Short Hills, NJ | $121,000 | 113.7 | $106,420 | #12 (-5) |
| 8 | Old Greenwich, CT | $120,000 | 112.8 | $106,383 | #13 (-5) |
| 9 | San Bruno, CA | $119,636 | 138.5 | $86,380 | #21 (-12) |
| 10 | Redmond, WA | $117,000 | 114.6 | $102,094 | #14 (-4) |
| 11 | Armonk, NY | $116,250 | 125.1 | $92,926 | #20 (-9) |
| 12 | Palo Alto, CA | $115,000 | 138.5 | $83,032 | #22 (-10) |
| 13 | Darien, CT | $115,000 | 112.8 | $101,950 | #15 (-2) |
| 14 | Elk Grove Village, IL | $112,000 | 92.3 | $121,343 | #5 (+9) |
| 15 | San Mateo, CA | $111,503 | 138.5 | $80,508 | #23 (-8) |
| 16 | Charlottesville, VA | $111,426 | 100.7 | $110,651 | #11 (+5) |
| 17 | Jersey City, NE | $110,750 | 90.8 | $121,971 | #4 (+13) |
| 18 | Hoboken, NJ | $110,000 | 113.7 | $96,746 | #18 |
| 19 | Mountain View, CA | $110,000 | 138.5 | $79,422 | #24 (-5) |
| 20 | NEWARK, NE | $108,930 | 90.8 | $119,967 | #6 (+14) |
| 21 | Stamford, CO | $107,500 | 105.5 | $101,896 | #16 (+5) |
| 22 | Baltimore, MA | $106,975 | 146.5 | $73,020 | #30 (-8) |
| 23 | Wayzata, MN | $106,746 | 94.6 | $112,839 | #9 (+14) |
| 24 | Weehawken, NE | $106,371 | 90.8 | $117,149 | #7 (+17) |
| 25 | BERKELEY, CA | $105,650 | 138.5 | $76,282 | #25 |
| 26 | Redwood City, CA | $105,147 | 138.5 | $75,918 | #26 |
| 27 | San Francisco, CA | $105,144 | 138.5 | $75,916 | #27 |
| 28 | Foster City, CA | $105,000 | 138.5 | $75,812 | #28 |
| 29 | BROOKLYN, NE | $104,700 | 90.8 | $115,308 | #8 (+21) |
| 30 | South San Francisco, CA | $104,354 | 138.5 | $75,346 | #29 (+1) |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Financial and Investment Analysts is in LONG ISLAND CITY, NE at $137,946, but after cost-of-living adjustment LONG ISLAND CITY, NE offers the best purchasing power at $151,923 equivalent.
- Hidden gem: BROOKLYN, NE ranks #29 by nominal pay but climbs to #8 once cost of living is factored in (up 21 spots), making its $104,700 go a lot further.
- Beware: SAN CARLOS, CA looks strong at #3 on nominal pay ($133,000) but its high cost of living drops it 16 spots to #19 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a Financial and Investment Analysts wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.