Best Cities for Hazardous Materials Removal Workerss

Cities ranked by purchasing power — where hazardous materials removal workerss 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	MissouriState	1.35	$59,120	$66,727	21%
2	TennesseeState	1.33	$60,090	$65,672	25%
3	New YorkState	1.31	$73,090	$64,969	30%
4	North DakotaState	1.31	$60,160	$64,968	20%
5	IllinoisState	1.27	$61,330	$62,967	26%
6	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TNMetro	1.24	$59,220	$61,559	32%
7	MinnesotaState	1.22	$59,100	$60,306	26%
8	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WIMetro	1.20	$59,160	$59,457	30%
9	AlaskaState	1.17	$60,320	$57,833	27%
10	New MexicoState	1.17	$53,440	$58,087	24%
11	ColoradoState	1.15	$59,920	$56,850	37%
12	South DakotaState	1.15	$51,420	$56,630	22%
13	MontanaState	1.14	$54,540	$56,577	25%
14	IowaState	1.13	$49,870	$55,908	23%
15	WashingtonState	1.13	$60,160	$56,067	38%
16	West VirginiaState	1.11	$46,390	$55,095	22%
17	KentuckyState	1.09	$47,640	$53,831	24%
18	South CarolinaState	1.08	$49,170	$53,446	31%
19	District of ColumbiaState	1.07	$60,240	$52,703	42%
20	HawaiiState	1.07	$58,440	$53,127	49%
21	NebraskaState	1.07	$48,540	$53,049	26%
22	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WAMetro	1.07	$60,290	$52,747	44%
23	GeorgiaState	1.06	$48,960	$52,420	35%
24	New HampshireState	1.06	$55,310	$52,179	34%
25	WyomingState	1.06	$48,570	$52,226	24%
26	WisconsinState	1.05	$47,750	$51,733	27%
27	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GAMetro	1.05	$50,190	$51,849	39%
28	IdahoState	1.04	$49,710	$51,513	29%
29	IndianaState	1.04	$46,680	$51,580	27%
30	New JerseyState	1.04	$55,900	$51,379	39%
31	OhioState	1.04	$46,620	$51,571	27%
32	Kansas City, MO-KSMetro	1.04	$47,780	$51,487	32%
33	CaliforniaState	1.03	$56,120	$50,696	48%
34	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MIMetro	1.03	$46,380	$50,855	32%
35	Pittsburgh, PAMetro	1.03	$47,010	$50,822	30%
36	KansasState	1.02	$45,530	$50,589	27%
37	MichiganState	1.02	$46,380	$50,249	29%
38	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CAMetro	1.02	$60,390	$50,241	62%
39	ArizonaState	1.01	$50,530	$50,079	36%
40	OklahomaState	1.01	$44,300	$50,056	26%
41	Columbus, OHMetro	1.01	$46,730	$49,979	33%
42	PennsylvaniaState	1.00	$47,860	$49,340	32%
43	UtahState	0.99	$49,240	$49,142	36%
44	OregonState	0.98	$49,720	$48,272	38%
45	MaineState	0.96	$47,280	$47,375	33%
46	NevadaState	0.96	$47,520	$47,425	37%
47	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MDMetro	0.96	$49,130	$47,469	39%
48	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SCMetro	0.95	$45,140	$47,119	40%
49	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TXMetro	0.95	$43,170	$46,924	36%
50	MississippiState	0.94	$39,440	$46,509	27%
51	Rhode IslandState	0.94	$46,670	$46,438	39%
52	TexasState	0.94	$44,390	$46,433	37%
53	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WAMetro	0.94	$49,950	$46,336	43%
54	North CarolinaState	0.93	$43,180	$45,742	36%
55	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MDMetro	0.93	$48,870	$46,191	41%
56	MassachusettsState	0.92	$49,620	$45,733	55%
57	VermontState	0.92	$46,780	$45,639	37%
58	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TXMetro	0.92	$44,420	$45,700	43%
59	AlabamaState	0.90	$38,610	$44,328	30%
60	MarylandState	0.90	$48,640	$44,542	41%
61	ConnecticutState	0.89	$47,090	$43,764	40%
62	DelawareState	0.89	$44,250	$43,812	37%
63	VirginiaState	0.89	$45,320	$43,787	42%
64	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NHMetro	0.89	$49,930	$43,991	61%
65	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CAMetro	0.89	$51,160	$43,914	53%
66	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WVMetro	0.87	$48,390	$42,899	49%
67	ArkansasState	0.86	$36,630	$42,445	29%
68	LouisianaState	0.85	$38,000	$42,175	33%
69	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FLMetro	0.85	$45,760	$42,175	53%
70	FloridaState	0.84	$42,350	$41,724	49%
71	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FLMetro	0.79	$38,440	$39,025	54%

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