Best Cities for Audio and Video Technicianss

Cities ranked by purchasing power — where audio and video technicianss get the most value from their salary after accounting for cost of living. A score above 1.00 means better than national average.

How we calculate this: City Score = (Local Salary ÷ National Median) ÷ (Local Cost ÷ National Avg Cost). A score of 1.20 means 20% better purchasing power than average.

#	Location	Score	Raw Salary	Adjusted Salary	Rent/Income
1	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NHMetro	1.31	$86,470	$76,185	35%
2	District of ColumbiaState	1.19	$78,770	$68,915	32%
3	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MIMetro	1.19	$62,910	$68,980	23%
4	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WVMetro	1.13	$74,380	$65,940	32%
5	New JerseyState	1.12	$71,040	$65,294	30%
6	WashingtonState	1.11	$69,270	$64,557	33%
7	MarylandState	1.10	$70,040	$64,139	29%
8	Rhode IslandState	1.10	$64,070	$63,751	28%
9	MichiganState	1.09	$58,300	$63,164	23%
10	NevadaState	1.08	$62,770	$62,645	28%
11	IllinoisState	1.07	$60,740	$62,361	26%
12	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MDMetro	1.06	$65,270	$61,692	31%
13	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CAMetro	1.05	$73,100	$60,815	52%
14	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MDMetro	1.04	$62,320	$60,213	31%
15	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WAMetro	1.04	$69,270	$60,604	38%
16	New YorkState	1.03	$67,600	$60,089	33%
17	AlaskaState	1.02	$62,060	$59,501	26%
18	DelawareState	1.02	$59,700	$59,109	27%
19	PennsylvaniaState	1.01	$56,890	$58,649	27%
20	CaliforniaState	1.00	$64,620	$58,374	42%
21	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TXMetro	1.00	$56,740	$58,374	34%
22	AlabamaState	0.99	$50,160	$57,589	23%
23	ConnecticutState	0.99	$62,120	$57,732	30%
24	IowaState	0.98	$51,030	$57,209	22%
25	MissouriState	0.98	$50,680	$57,201	25%
26	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WIMetro	0.98	$56,730	$57,015	31%
27	South CarolinaState	0.97	$52,000	$56,522	29%
28	KansasState	0.96	$50,030	$55,589	25%
29	WisconsinState	0.96	$51,390	$55,677	25%
30	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CAMetro	0.96	$64,900	$55,708	42%
31	GeorgiaState	0.95	$51,350	$54,979	33%
32	IndianaState	0.95	$49,870	$55,105	25%
33	NebraskaState	0.95	$50,660	$55,366	25%
34	OhioState	0.95	$49,890	$55,188	25%
35	OklahomaState	0.95	$49,010	$55,379	24%
36	West VirginiaState	0.95	$46,590	$55,333	22%
37	HawaiiState	0.94	$60,150	$54,682	48%
38	KentuckyState	0.94	$48,320	$54,599	24%
39	MinnesotaState	0.94	$53,800	$54,898	29%
40	TennesseeState	0.94	$49,970	$54,612	30%
41	Pittsburgh, PAMetro	0.94	$50,500	$54,595	28%
42	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FLMetro	0.94	$53,970	$54,792	38%
43	ColoradoState	0.93	$56,790	$53,880	39%
44	North DakotaState	0.93	$50,110	$54,114	23%
45	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GAMetro	0.93	$52,180	$53,905	37%
46	Columbus, OHMetro	0.93	$50,320	$53,818	31%
47	Kansas City, MO-KSMetro	0.93	$50,300	$54,203	31%
48	FloridaState	0.92	$54,230	$53,429	38%
49	WyomingState	0.92	$49,680	$53,419	24%
50	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TNMetro	0.92	$51,370	$53,399	36%
51	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TXMetro	0.92	$49,130	$53,402	32%
52	New HampshireState	0.91	$56,180	$53,000	34%
53	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WAMetro	0.91	$56,870	$52,755	38%
54	VirginiaState	0.90	$53,960	$52,135	35%
55	IdahoState	0.89	$49,950	$51,762	29%
56	TexasState	0.89	$49,440	$51,715	34%
57	ArkansasState	0.88	$43,910	$50,881	24%
58	MississippiState	0.88	$43,500	$51,297	25%
59	New MexicoState	0.88	$47,070	$51,163	27%
60	OregonState	0.87	$52,000	$50,485	37%
61	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SCMetro	0.87	$48,490	$50,616	37%
62	VermontState	0.86	$51,500	$50,244	33%
63	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FLMetro	0.86	$54,410	$50,147	45%
64	LouisianaState	0.85	$44,480	$49,367	28%
65	North CarolinaState	0.85	$46,700	$49,470	33%
66	UtahState	0.84	$48,730	$48,633	37%
67	MontanaState	0.83	$46,700	$48,444	29%
68	ArizonaState	0.80	$47,140	$46,720	38%
69	MaineState	0.79	$46,080	$46,172	34%

Data Sources: Salary: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS). Cost of Living: BEA Regional Price Parities (2024). Rent: HUD Fair Market Rents (FY2025).