Best Cities for Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructorss

Cities ranked by purchasing power — where exercise trainers and group fitness instructorss 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	MassachusettsState	1.26	$64,620	$59,558	42%
2	NevadaState	1.23	$57,960	$57,844	30%
3	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NHMetro	1.22	$65,190	$57,436	47%
4	ConnecticutState	1.21	$61,580	$57,230	31%
5	OregonState	1.20	$58,510	$56,806	33%
6	VermontState	1.19	$57,300	$55,902	30%
7	New JerseyState	1.17	$59,870	$55,028	36%
8	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WAMetro	1.17	$59,570	$55,260	36%
9	WyomingState	1.15	$50,250	$54,032	24%
10	CaliforniaState	1.11	$57,990	$52,385	47%
11	TennesseeState	1.10	$47,380	$51,781	32%
12	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TNMetro	1.10	$50,050	$52,027	37%
13	IdahoState	1.09	$49,780	$51,585	29%
14	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MIMetro	1.09	$46,880	$51,404	31%
15	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CAMetro	1.09	$62,010	$51,589	61%
16	KentuckyState	1.08	$45,280	$51,164	25%
17	GeorgiaState	1.07	$47,150	$50,482	36%
18	OklahomaState	1.07	$44,520	$50,305	26%
19	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SCMetro	1.07	$48,540	$50,668	37%
20	LouisianaState	1.05	$44,410	$49,290	28%
21	MichiganState	1.05	$45,520	$49,317	29%
22	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GAMetro	1.05	$47,960	$49,545	40%
23	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CAMetro	1.05	$57,630	$49,468	47%
24	Pittsburgh, PAMetro	1.05	$45,950	$49,676	31%
25	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TXMetro	1.05	$45,640	$49,609	34%
26	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WAMetro	1.05	$56,380	$49,326	47%
27	ArkansasState	1.04	$42,140	$48,830	25%
28	North CarolinaState	1.04	$46,450	$49,206	34%
29	New MexicoState	1.03	$44,680	$48,565	28%
30	IllinoisState	1.02	$46,800	$48,049	34%
31	WisconsinState	1.02	$44,200	$47,887	29%
32	ArizonaState	1.01	$47,980	$47,552	37%
33	South CarolinaState	1.01	$43,630	$47,424	35%
34	ColoradoState	1.00	$49,900	$47,343	44%
35	MaineState	1.00	$47,060	$47,154	33%
36	WashingtonState	1.00	$50,830	$47,372	45%
37	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TXMetro	1.00	$45,690	$47,006	42%
38	New HampshireState	0.99	$49,360	$46,566	39%
39	PennsylvaniaState	0.99	$45,250	$46,649	34%
40	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MDMetro	0.98	$48,040	$46,415	40%
41	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FLMetro	0.98	$45,490	$46,183	45%
42	MontanaState	0.97	$43,940	$45,581	31%
43	Rhode IslandState	0.96	$45,640	$45,413	40%
44	West VirginiaState	0.96	$38,120	$45,273	26%
45	AlabamaState	0.95	$39,180	$44,983	29%
46	UtahState	0.95	$44,800	$44,711	40%
47	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WIMetro	0.95	$44,790	$45,015	40%
48	AlaskaState	0.94	$46,210	$44,305	35%
49	MinnesotaState	0.94	$43,620	$44,510	35%
50	South DakotaState	0.94	$40,070	$44,130	29%
51	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MDMetro	0.94	$47,140	$44,556	43%
52	DelawareState	0.93	$44,340	$43,901	37%
53	HawaiiState	0.93	$48,290	$43,900	59%
54	MarylandState	0.92	$47,420	$43,425	42%
55	TexasState	0.91	$40,880	$42,762	41%
56	New YorkState	0.89	$47,090	$41,858	47%
57	Kansas City, MO-KSMetro	0.88	$38,550	$41,541	40%
58	MissouriState	0.87	$36,450	$41,140	34%
59	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WVMetro	0.87	$46,190	$40,949	52%
60	IowaState	0.86	$36,160	$40,538	32%
61	North DakotaState	0.86	$37,760	$40,778	31%
62	KansasState	0.85	$35,900	$39,889	35%
63	OhioState	0.85	$36,370	$40,232	34%
64	Columbus, OHMetro	0.85	$37,410	$40,011	42%
65	VirginiaState	0.84	$40,820	$39,440	46%
66	IndianaState	0.82	$34,960	$38,630	36%
67	FloridaState	0.81	$38,800	$38,227	53%
68	MississippiState	0.76	$30,540	$36,014	35%
69	District of ColumbiaState	0.73	$39,210	$34,304	64%
70	NebraskaState	0.73	$31,440	$34,361	40%
71	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FLMetro	0.61	$31,140	$28,700	79%

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