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 | $140,000 | 138.5 | $101,083 | #9 (-8) |
| 2 | San Jose, CA | $136,598 | 138.5 | $98,626 | #11 (-9) |
| 3 | Redmond, WA | $135,000 | 114.6 | $117,801 | #1 (+2) |
| 4 | Cupertino, CA | $130,333 | 138.5 | $94,103 | #16 (-12) |
| 5 | Mountain View, CA | $130,000 | 138.5 | $93,863 | #17 (-12) |
| 6 | Stamford, CT | $125,611 | 112.8 | $111,357 | #3 (+3) |
| 7 | Sunnyvale, CA | $125,445 | 138.5 | $90,574 | #20 (-13) |
| 8 | New York, NY | $122,500 | 125.1 | $97,922 | #12 (-4) |
| 9 | tracy, CA | $115,000 | 138.5 | $83,032 | #22 (-13) |
| 10 | KENT, WA | $115,000 | 114.6 | $100,349 | #10 |
| 11 | Robbinsville, NJ | $115,000 | 113.7 | $101,143 | #8 (+3) |
| 12 | Ruskin, FL | $115,000 | 102.8 | $111,868 | #2 (+10) |
| 13 | San Bernardino, CA | $114,450 | 138.5 | $82,635 | #23 (-10) |
| 14 | Boston, MA | $112,000 | 146.5 | $76,451 | #25 (-11) |
| 15 | Fremont, CA | $109,650 | 138.5 | $79,170 | #24 (-9) |
| 16 | Seattle, WA | $106,371 | 114.6 | $92,819 | #18 (-2) |
| 17 | DALLAS, TX | $100,170 | 92.7 | $108,058 | #5 (+12) |
| 18 | MORENO VALLEY, CA | $100,000 | 138.5 | $72,202 | #28 (-10) |
| 19 | Fort Worth, TX | $100,000 | 92.7 | $107,875 | #6 (+13) |
| 20 | Phoenix, AZ | $100,000 | 108.4 | $92,251 | #19 (+1) |
| 21 | Atlanta, GA | $98,400 | 91.0 | $108,132 | #4 (+17) |
| 22 | Austin, TX | $97,375 | 92.7 | $105,043 | #7 (+15) |
| 23 | Chicago, IL | $89,708 | 92.3 | $97,192 | #13 (+10) |
| 24 | Houston, TX | $89,440 | 92.7 | $96,483 | #14 (+10) |
| 25 | Columbus, IN | $85,920 | 91.0 | $94,418 | #15 (+10) |
| 26 | Miami, FL | $75,837 | 102.8 | $73,771 | #26 |
| 27 | Memphis, TN | $75,200 | 90.3 | $83,278 | #21 (+6) |
| 28 | Doral, FL | $74,669 | 102.8 | $72,635 | #27 (+1) |
| 29 | Los Angeles, CA | $70,000 | 138.5 | $50,542 | #29 |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers is in San Francisco, CA at $140,000, but after cost-of-living adjustment Redmond, WA offers the best purchasing power at $117,801 equivalent.
- Hidden gem: Atlanta, GA ranks #21 by nominal pay but climbs to #4 once cost of living is factored in (up 17 spots), making its $98,400 go a lot further.
- Beware: Sunnyvale, CA looks strong at #7 on nominal pay ($125,445) but its high cost of living drops it 13 spots to #20 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.