Best Cities for Computer Occupations, All Others

Cities ranked by purchasing power — where computer occupations, all others 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	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CAMetro	1.32	$184,430	$153,436	20%
2	Columbus, OHMetro	1.19	$129,940	$138,973	12%
3	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WVMetro	1.19	$156,640	$138,865	15%
4	District of ColumbiaState	1.18	$156,590	$136,999	16%
5	New MexicoState	1.18	$127,090	$138,141	10%
6	DelawareState	1.17	$137,470	$136,109	12%
7	VirginiaState	1.15	$139,030	$134,329	14%
8	ColoradoState	1.14	$139,580	$132,429	16%
9	MarylandState	1.14	$144,680	$132,491	14%
10	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TXMetro	1.12	$127,360	$131,029	15%
11	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MDMetro	1.10	$135,600	$128,166	15%
12	West VirginiaState	1.09	$107,140	$127,245	9%
13	AlabamaState	1.05	$106,330	$122,078	11%
14	South CarolinaState	1.05	$112,260	$122,022	13%
15	CaliforniaState	1.04	$134,440	$121,445	20%
16	OhioState	1.04	$109,780	$121,438	11%
17	IowaState	1.03	$107,340	$120,336	11%
18	WashingtonState	1.03	$128,940	$120,168	18%
19	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TXMetro	1.03	$110,440	$120,043	14%
20	ConnecticutState	1.02	$127,720	$118,699	15%
21	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WAMetro	1.02	$136,120	$119,090	19%
22	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MIMetro	1.01	$107,560	$117,939	14%
23	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MDMetro	1.01	$121,990	$117,865	16%
24	South DakotaState	1.00	$105,370	$116,046	11%
25	TexasState	1.00	$111,530	$116,663	15%
26	KansasState	0.99	$103,380	$114,867	12%
27	OklahomaState	0.99	$102,520	$115,842	11%
28	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SCMetro	0.99	$110,790	$115,647	16%
29	MichiganState	0.98	$105,680	$114,496	13%
30	MissouriState	0.98	$101,040	$114,041	12%
31	Kansas City, MO-KSMetro	0.97	$105,470	$113,653	15%
32	GeorgiaState	0.96	$104,610	$112,002	16%
33	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GAMetro	0.96	$108,730	$112,324	18%
34	Pittsburgh, PAMetro	0.96	$103,420	$111,805	14%
35	North CarolinaState	0.95	$104,850	$111,070	15%
36	PennsylvaniaState	0.95	$107,230	$110,546	15%
37	HawaiiState	0.94	$120,100	$109,182	24%
38	MaineState	0.93	$107,990	$108,206	14%
39	VermontState	0.93	$111,530	$108,810	15%
40	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FLMetro	0.93	$106,330	$107,949	19%
41	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NHMetro	0.92	$121,230	$106,811	25%
42	ArizonaState	0.89	$105,240	$104,301	17%
43	FloridaState	0.89	$105,370	$103,813	20%
44	IndianaState	0.89	$93,540	$103,359	14%
45	New YorkState	0.89	$116,990	$103,991	19%
46	IdahoState	0.88	$98,700	$102,280	15%
47	IllinoisState	0.88	$99,360	$102,012	16%
48	MississippiState	0.88	$86,940	$102,524	12%
49	AlaskaState	0.87	$105,960	$101,592	15%
50	KentuckyState	0.87	$89,420	$101,040	13%
51	MassachusettsState	0.87	$109,590	$101,005	25%
52	NebraskaState	0.87	$92,480	$101,071	14%
53	Rhode IslandState	0.87	$102,210	$101,701	18%
54	WyomingState	0.87	$94,520	$101,634	13%
55	ArkansasState	0.86	$86,940	$100,742	12%
56	NevadaState	0.86	$100,220	$100,020	17%
57	New JerseyState	0.85	$108,310	$99,550	20%
58	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FLMetro	0.84	$106,080	$97,770	23%
59	UtahState	0.83	$97,470	$97,275	18%
60	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WAMetro	0.83	$103,990	$96,466	21%
61	WisconsinState	0.82	$88,130	$95,482	15%
62	OregonState	0.81	$97,350	$94,515	20%
63	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CAMetro	0.81	$109,700	$94,163	25%
64	MinnesotaState	0.80	$91,750	$93,622	17%
65	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WIMetro	0.79	$91,730	$92,191	19%
66	New HampshireState	0.74	$91,720	$86,528	21%
67	LouisianaState	0.73	$77,000	$85,461	16%
68	MontanaState	0.73	$81,970	$85,031	17%
69	North DakotaState	0.73	$78,330	$84,590	15%
70	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TNMetro	0.73	$81,310	$84,522	23%
71	TennesseeState	0.72	$76,470	$83,574	20%

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