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 | San Francisco, CA | $127,748 | 138.5 | $92,237 | #2 (-1) |
| 2 | Minneapolis, MN | $91,503 | 94.6 | $96,726 | #1 (+1) |
| 3 | New York, NE | $72,622 | 90.8 | $79,980 | #3 |
| 4 | Bronx, NY | $68,000 | 125.1 | $54,357 | #16 (-12) |
| 5 | Chicago, IL | $66,816 | 92.3 | $72,390 | #4 (+1) |
| 6 | Stanford, CA | $66,071 | 138.5 | $47,704 | #23 (-17) |
| 7 | Springfield, MA | $64,100 | 146.5 | $43,754 | #26 (-19) |
| 8 | Washington, DC | $63,939 | 146.0 | $43,794 | #25 (-17) |
| 9 | New York, NY | $63,936 | 125.1 | $51,108 | #19 (-10) |
| 10 | Atlanta, GA | $62,756 | 91.0 | $68,963 | #5 (+5) |
| 11 | Milwaukee, WI | $62,140 | 95.1 | $65,342 | #7 (+4) |
| 12 | Aurora, CO | $61,861 | 105.5 | $58,636 | #12 |
| 13 | Elmhurst, NY | $61,628 | 125.1 | $49,263 | #21 (-8) |
| 14 | Iowa City, IA | $59,100 | 90.3 | $65,449 | #6 (+8) |
| 15 | Philadelphia, PA | $58,469 | 95.6 | $61,160 | #10 (+5) |
| 16 | Lebanon, NH | $57,928 | 109.9 | $52,710 | #17 (-1) |
| 17 | CLEVELAND, OH | $57,493 | 94.0 | $61,163 | #9 (+8) |
| 18 | Paterson, NJ | $57,371 | 113.7 | $50,458 | #20 (-2) |
| 19 | Boston, MA | $57,081 | 146.5 | $38,963 | #27 (-8) |
| 20 | ELIZABETH, NJ | $54,784 | 113.7 | $48,183 | #22 (-2) |
| 21 | JACKSON, MS | $54,123 | 86.3 | $62,715 | #8 (+13) |
| 22 | Sayre, PA | $53,997 | 95.6 | $56,482 | #15 (+7) |
| 23 | Tampa, FL | $53,630 | 102.8 | $52,169 | #18 (+5) |
| 24 | Royal Oak, MI | $53,580 | 90.6 | $59,139 | #11 (+13) |
| 25 | Detroit, MI | $51,911 | 90.6 | $57,297 | #13 (+12) |
| 26 | Warren, MI | $51,468 | 90.6 | $56,808 | #14 (+12) |
| 27 | Bridgeport, CT | $50,604 | 112.8 | $44,861 | #24 (+3) |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All Other is in San Francisco, CA at $127,748, but after cost-of-living adjustment Minneapolis, MN offers the best purchasing power at $96,726 equivalent.
- Hidden gem: JACKSON, MS ranks #21 by nominal pay but climbs to #8 once cost of living is factored in (up 13 spots), making its $54,123 go a lot further.
- Beware: Springfield, MA looks strong at #7 on nominal pay ($64,100) but its high cost of living drops it 19 spots to #26 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All Other wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.