Best Cities for Helpers--Production Workerss

Cities ranked by purchasing power — where helpers--production 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	IowaState	1.31	$45,560	$51,076	25%
2	North DakotaState	1.28	$46,170	$49,860	25%
3	NebraskaState	1.26	$45,020	$49,202	28%
4	WisconsinState	1.25	$45,100	$48,862	29%
5	KentuckyState	1.22	$42,130	$47,605	27%
6	MontanaState	1.22	$46,110	$47,832	29%
7	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MIMetro	1.21	$42,980	$47,127	34%
8	IndianaState	1.19	$42,210	$46,641	30%
9	West VirginiaState	1.19	$39,190	$46,544	26%
10	MinnesotaState	1.17	$44,720	$45,633	34%
11	MissouriState	1.17	$40,580	$45,801	31%
12	MichiganState	1.16	$41,660	$45,135	32%
13	Kansas City, MO-KSMetro	1.16	$42,210	$45,485	37%
14	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WIMetro	1.15	$44,770	$44,995	40%
15	Rhode IslandState	1.14	$44,720	$44,498	40%
16	Pittsburgh, PAMetro	1.14	$41,240	$44,584	34%
17	MaineState	1.13	$44,120	$44,208	35%
18	OregonState	1.13	$45,390	$44,068	42%
19	OhioState	1.12	$39,600	$43,805	32%
20	ColoradoState	1.11	$45,550	$43,216	49%
21	WyomingState	1.11	$40,200	$43,226	29%
22	IllinoisState	1.09	$41,480	$42,587	38%
23	ConnecticutState	1.08	$45,260	$42,063	42%
24	PennsylvaniaState	1.08	$41,060	$42,330	38%
25	WashingtonState	1.08	$45,450	$42,358	50%
26	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SCMetro	1.08	$40,600	$42,380	44%
27	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WAMetro	1.08	$45,620	$42,319	47%
28	North CarolinaState	1.07	$39,410	$41,748	40%
29	TennesseeState	1.07	$38,330	$41,891	39%
30	AlabamaState	1.06	$35,910	$41,228	32%
31	KansasState	1.06	$37,320	$41,467	33%
32	ArkansasState	1.05	$35,540	$41,182	30%
33	MarylandState	1.05	$44,680	$40,916	45%
34	OklahomaState	1.05	$36,240	$40,949	32%
35	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WAMetro	1.05	$46,980	$41,102	56%
36	AlaskaState	1.04	$42,530	$40,777	39%
37	Columbus, OHMetro	1.04	$37,990	$40,631	41%
38	HawaiiState	1.03	$44,380	$40,345	64%
39	LouisianaState	1.03	$36,400	$40,400	35%
40	New HampshireState	1.03	$42,740	$40,321	45%
41	CaliforniaState	1.02	$43,970	$39,720	62%
42	MississippiState	1.02	$33,880	$39,953	32%
43	South CarolinaState	1.02	$36,610	$39,793	41%
44	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TNMetro	1.02	$38,490	$40,010	49%
45	ArizonaState	1.01	$39,680	$39,326	45%
46	IdahoState	1.01	$38,240	$39,627	38%
47	NevadaState	1.01	$39,730	$39,651	44%
48	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FLMetro	1.01	$38,760	$39,350	53%
49	MassachusettsState	1.00	$42,280	$38,968	64%
50	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MDMetro	1.00	$41,160	$38,904	49%
51	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TXMetro	1.00	$37,890	$38,981	50%
52	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MDMetro	1.00	$40,580	$39,208	47%
53	GeorgiaState	0.99	$36,280	$38,844	47%
54	New MexicoState	0.99	$35,650	$38,750	35%
55	New YorkState	0.99	$43,540	$38,702	51%
56	VermontState	0.99	$39,540	$38,576	43%
57	TexasState	0.98	$36,610	$38,295	45%
58	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GAMetro	0.98	$37,000	$38,223	52%
59	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NHMetro	0.98	$43,240	$38,097	71%
60	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CAMetro	0.98	$46,170	$38,411	82%
61	DelawareState	0.97	$38,380	$38,000	42%
62	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WVMetro	0.97	$42,950	$38,076	56%
63	FloridaState	0.96	$37,950	$37,389	54%
64	UtahState	0.95	$37,110	$37,036	48%
65	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TXMetro	0.95	$34,230	$37,207	46%
66	VirginiaState	0.93	$37,740	$36,464	50%
67	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CAMetro	0.93	$42,490	$36,472	64%
68	New JerseyState	0.92	$39,290	$36,112	55%
69	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FLMetro	0.88	$37,310	$34,387	66%

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