Best Cities for Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeyss

Cities ranked by purchasing power — where broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeyss 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	New YorkState	1.53	$81,310	$72,276	27%
2	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NHMetro	1.48	$79,310	$69,877	39%
3	IndianaState	1.44	$61,760	$68,243	20%
4	MarylandState	1.44	$74,480	$68,205	27%
5	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MDMetro	1.42	$71,350	$67,439	28%
6	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WVMetro	1.42	$75,710	$67,119	32%
7	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MDMetro	1.41	$69,310	$66,966	28%
8	New JerseyState	1.37	$70,800	$65,074	30%
9	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FLMetro	1.36	$70,110	$64,618	35%
10	NevadaState	1.27	$60,460	$60,339	29%
11	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FLMetro	1.21	$56,360	$57,218	37%
12	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MIMetro	1.18	$51,000	$55,921	29%
13	FloridaState	1.17	$56,360	$55,527	37%
14	MassachusettsState	1.17	$60,200	$55,484	45%
15	Rhode IslandState	1.16	$55,110	$54,836	33%
16	Pittsburgh, PAMetro	1.14	$49,930	$53,978	28%
17	PennsylvaniaState	1.13	$52,080	$53,691	30%
18	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WAMetro	1.13	$57,600	$53,432	37%
19	TennesseeState	1.11	$48,290	$52,776	31%
20	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TXMetro	1.09	$50,280	$51,728	38%
21	MissouriState	1.08	$45,460	$51,309	27%
22	TexasState	1.08	$49,050	$51,308	34%
23	MichiganState	1.07	$46,640	$50,531	29%
24	North CarolinaState	1.07	$47,910	$50,752	33%
25	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GAMetro	1.06	$48,740	$50,351	40%
26	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TNMetro	1.06	$48,340	$50,249	39%
27	NebraskaState	1.04	$45,020	$49,202	28%
28	IdahoState	1.03	$46,940	$48,642	31%
29	ColoradoState	1.02	$50,660	$48,065	44%
30	Kansas City, MO-KSMetro	1.02	$44,830	$48,308	34%
31	IllinoisState	1.01	$46,720	$47,967	34%
32	Columbus, OHMetro	1.01	$44,810	$47,925	35%
33	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WIMetro	1.01	$47,610	$47,849	37%
34	ArizonaState	1.00	$47,930	$47,502	38%
35	OhioState	0.99	$42,440	$46,947	30%
36	HawaiiState	0.98	$51,030	$46,391	56%
37	UtahState	0.97	$46,080	$45,988	39%
38	GeorgiaState	0.95	$42,020	$44,989	40%
39	OregonState	0.95	$46,190	$44,845	41%
40	South DakotaState	0.95	$40,630	$44,747	28%
41	MinnesotaState	0.94	$43,530	$44,418	35%
42	AlabamaState	0.93	$38,530	$44,237	30%
43	MaineState	0.93	$44,000	$44,088	35%
44	WisconsinState	0.93	$40,630	$44,020	32%
45	New HampshireState	0.92	$46,000	$43,396	41%
46	AlaskaState	0.91	$44,790	$42,943	37%
47	VirginiaState	0.91	$44,400	$42,899	43%
48	ArkansasState	0.89	$36,160	$41,900	29%
49	New MexicoState	0.89	$38,940	$42,326	32%
50	West VirginiaState	0.89	$35,400	$42,043	28%
51	IowaState	0.88	$37,090	$41,581	31%
52	North DakotaState	0.88	$38,500	$41,577	30%
53	WashingtonState	0.87	$44,420	$41,398	51%
54	KentuckyState	0.86	$36,170	$40,870	32%
55	OklahomaState	0.86	$36,110	$40,802	32%
56	MississippiState	0.85	$34,040	$40,142	32%
57	WyomingState	0.83	$36,760	$39,527	32%
58	KansasState	0.82	$35,130	$39,033	35%
59	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WAMetro	0.82	$44,580	$39,003	59%
60	LouisianaState	0.77	$33,020	$36,648	38%
61	MontanaState	0.77	$35,000	$36,307	39%
62	VermontState	0.73	$35,220	$34,361	49%
63	South CarolinaState	0.71	$30,960	$33,652	49%

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