Best Cities for Helpers--Carpenterss

Cities ranked by purchasing power — where helpers--carpenterss 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	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CAMetro	1.27	$64,810	$55,631	42%
2	New HampshireState	1.25	$58,090	$54,802	33%
3	ArkansasState	1.24	$46,800	$54,229	23%
4	MaineState	1.15	$50,100	$50,200	31%
5	Rhode IslandState	1.14	$50,300	$50,050	36%
6	OhioState	1.13	$44,760	$49,513	28%
7	MichiganState	1.11	$44,960	$48,711	30%
8	ColoradoState	1.10	$50,900	$48,292	44%
9	IndianaState	1.08	$42,940	$47,448	29%
10	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WAMetro	1.08	$51,200	$47,495	42%
11	ConnecticutState	1.07	$50,460	$46,896	37%
12	IllinoisState	1.07	$45,660	$46,879	34%
13	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GAMetro	1.06	$44,710	$46,188	43%
14	TexasState	1.05	$43,950	$45,973	38%
15	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TNMetro	1.05	$44,080	$45,821	42%
16	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TXMetro	1.05	$42,320	$46,000	37%
17	LouisianaState	1.04	$40,900	$45,394	31%
18	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SCMetro	1.04	$43,760	$45,678	41%
19	Pittsburgh, PAMetro	1.04	$42,210	$45,632	33%
20	CaliforniaState	1.03	$49,890	$45,068	54%
21	PennsylvaniaState	1.03	$43,880	$45,237	35%
22	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TXMetro	1.03	$43,740	$45,000	43%
23	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FLMetro	1.03	$44,630	$45,310	46%
24	AlabamaState	1.02	$38,930	$44,696	30%
25	IowaState	1.02	$39,830	$44,652	29%
26	MassachusettsState	1.01	$48,130	$44,359	56%
27	MontanaState	1.01	$42,670	$44,263	32%
28	IdahoState	0.99	$41,820	$43,337	34%
29	NebraskaState	0.99	$39,670	$43,355	32%
30	TennesseeState	0.99	$39,790	$43,486	38%
31	VermontState	0.99	$44,550	$43,463	38%
32	GeorgiaState	0.98	$40,160	$42,998	42%
33	North CarolinaState	0.98	$40,540	$42,945	39%
34	OklahomaState	0.98	$38,080	$43,028	31%
35	WashingtonState	0.98	$46,060	$42,926	49%
36	WisconsinState	0.98	$39,480	$42,774	33%
37	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NHMetro	0.98	$48,530	$42,758	63%
38	KansasState	0.97	$38,130	$42,367	33%
39	New YorkState	0.97	$47,740	$42,436	46%
40	VirginiaState	0.97	$43,730	$42,251	43%
41	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MIMetro	0.97	$38,800	$42,544	38%
42	OregonState	0.96	$43,260	$42,000	44%
43	MississippiState	0.95	$35,360	$41,698	30%
44	ArizonaState	0.94	$41,540	$41,169	43%
45	HawaiiState	0.93	$44,550	$40,500	64%
46	KentuckyState	0.92	$35,520	$40,136	32%
47	New JerseyState	0.92	$44,040	$40,478	49%
48	New MexicoState	0.92	$37,100	$40,326	34%
49	West VirginiaState	0.92	$33,760	$40,095	30%
50	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WAMetro	0.92	$46,060	$40,297	57%
51	FloridaState	0.91	$40,220	$39,626	51%
52	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MDMetro	0.91	$41,260	$39,865	46%
53	South CarolinaState	0.90	$36,090	$39,228	42%
54	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WVMetro	0.90	$44,380	$39,344	54%
55	South DakotaState	0.87	$34,700	$38,216	33%
56	AlaskaState	0.86	$39,210	$37,593	42%
57	MissouriState	0.84	$32,420	$36,591	38%
58	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FLMetro	0.84	$40,110	$36,968	61%
59	MarylandState	0.83	$39,470	$36,145	51%
60	NevadaState	0.83	$36,230	$36,158	48%
61	UtahState	0.82	$35,820	$35,749	50%
62	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MDMetro	0.79	$36,400	$34,405	55%
63	DelawareState	0.77	$33,920	$33,584	48%

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