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 | Menlo Park, CA | $200,000 | 138.5 | $144,404 | #5 (-4) |
| 2 | Washington, D.C., DC | $200,000 | 146.0 | $136,986 | #9 (-7) |
| 3 | Redwood City, CA | $190,000 | 138.5 | $137,184 | #7 (-4) |
| 4 | New York, NE | $190,000 | 90.8 | $209,251 | #1 (+3) |
| 5 | Palo Alto, CA | $190,000 | 138.5 | $137,184 | #8 (-3) |
| 6 | Mountain View, CA | $180,000 | 138.5 | $129,964 | #12 (-6) |
| 7 | Boston, MA | $180,000 | 146.5 | $122,867 | #17 (-10) |
| 8 | New York, NY | $180,000 | 125.1 | $143,885 | #6 (+2) |
| 9 | San Francisco, CA | $180,000 | 138.5 | $129,964 | #13 (-4) |
| 10 | Cupertino, CA | $172,500 | 138.5 | $124,549 | #15 (-5) |
| 11 | Washington D.C., DC | $171,903 | 146.0 | $117,741 | #19 (-8) |
| 12 | Los Angeles, CA | $171,122 | 138.5 | $123,554 | #16 (-4) |
| 13 | Washington, DC | $171,000 | 146.0 | $117,123 | #20 (-7) |
| 14 | Sunnyvale, CA | $158,123 | 138.5 | $114,168 | #21 (-7) |
| 15 | Redmond, WA | $155,775 | 114.6 | $135,929 | #10 (+5) |
| 16 | Seattle, WA | $152,000 | 114.6 | $132,635 | #11 (+5) |
| 17 | Houston, TX | $140,000 | 92.7 | $151,025 | #2 (+15) |
| 18 | Philadelphia, PA | $139,984 | 95.6 | $146,427 | #4 (+14) |
| 19 | Chicago, IL | $135,895 | 92.3 | $147,232 | #3 (+16) |
| 20 | Alexandria, VA | $127,504 | 100.7 | $126,618 | #14 (+6) |
| 21 | San Diego, CA | $120,000 | 138.5 | $86,643 | #24 (-3) |
| 22 | Santa Clara, CA | $120,000 | 138.5 | $86,643 | #25 (-3) |
| 23 | San Jose, CA | $113,485 | 138.5 | $81,939 | #26 (-3) |
| 24 | DALLAS, TX | $110,000 | 92.7 | $118,662 | #18 (+6) |
| 25 | BEVERLY HILLS, CA | $108,000 | 138.5 | $77,978 | #27 (-2) |
| 26 | Miami, FL | $105,750 | 102.8 | $102,870 | #23 (+3) |
| 27 | Atlanta, GA | $100,000 | 91.0 | $109,890 | #22 (+5) |
| 28 | Irvine, CA | $96,720 | 138.5 | $69,834 | #28 |
| 29 | City of Industry, CA | $91,520 | 138.5 | $66,079 | #30 (-1) |
| 30 | Brooklyn, NY | $86,715 | 125.1 | $69,316 | #29 (+1) |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Lawyers is in Menlo Park, CA at $200,000, but after cost-of-living adjustment New York, NE offers the best purchasing power at $209,251 equivalent.
- Hidden gem: Chicago, IL ranks #19 by nominal pay but climbs to #3 once cost of living is factored in (up 16 spots), making its $135,895 go a lot further.
- Beware: Boston, MA looks strong at #7 on nominal pay ($180,000) but its high cost of living drops it 10 spots to #17 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
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Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.