Best Cities for Interior Designerss

Cities ranked by purchasing power — where interior designerss 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	WyomingState	1.54	$96,100	$103,333	12%
2	District of ColumbiaState	1.28	$98,450	$86,133	26%
3	ArkansasState	1.21	$69,990	$81,101	15%
4	IllinoisState	1.17	$76,290	$78,326	21%
5	OklahomaState	1.15	$68,520	$77,424	17%
6	GeorgiaState	1.14	$71,760	$76,831	24%
7	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WIMetro	1.12	$74,680	$75,055	24%
8	ColoradoState	1.11	$78,390	$74,374	28%
9	MinnesotaState	1.11	$73,270	$74,765	21%
10	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GAMetro	1.11	$72,490	$74,886	27%
11	MassachusettsState	1.10	$80,110	$73,834	34%
12	CaliforniaState	1.08	$80,230	$72,475	34%
13	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TNMetro	1.08	$69,770	$72,526	27%
14	South DakotaState	1.07	$65,220	$71,828	18%
15	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NHMetro	1.07	$81,480	$71,789	38%
16	NebraskaState	1.06	$64,870	$70,896	19%
17	WashingtonState	1.06	$76,570	$71,361	30%
18	Kansas City, MO-KSMetro	1.05	$65,160	$70,216	24%
19	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CAMetro	1.05	$85,140	$70,832	44%
20	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WVMetro	1.05	$79,590	$70,559	30%
21	AlabamaState	1.04	$61,050	$70,092	19%
22	TennesseeState	1.04	$63,660	$69,574	24%
23	IndianaState	1.03	$62,580	$69,149	20%
24	South CarolinaState	1.03	$63,790	$69,337	24%
25	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WAMetro	1.03	$78,810	$68,950	33%
26	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CAMetro	1.02	$80,000	$68,670	34%
27	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WAMetro	1.02	$73,700	$68,367	29%
28	KansasState	1.01	$61,090	$67,878	20%
29	New JerseyState	1.01	$74,020	$68,033	29%
30	OhioState	1.01	$61,410	$67,931	20%
31	TexasState	1.01	$65,160	$68,159	26%
32	WisconsinState	1.01	$62,740	$67,974	21%
33	KentuckyState	1.00	$59,240	$66,938	19%
34	LouisianaState	1.00	$60,610	$67,270	21%
35	MissouriState	1.00	$59,610	$67,280	21%
36	New YorkState	1.00	$75,580	$67,182	29%
37	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SCMetro	1.00	$64,370	$67,192	28%
38	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TXMetro	1.00	$65,160	$67,037	29%
39	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TXMetro	1.00	$61,510	$66,859	25%
40	Columbus, OHMetro	0.99	$62,180	$66,503	25%
41	New MexicoState	0.98	$60,850	$66,141	21%
42	IowaState	0.97	$58,040	$65,067	20%
43	North CarolinaState	0.97	$61,400	$65,042	25%
44	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MIMetro	0.97	$59,210	$64,923	25%
45	Pittsburgh, PAMetro	0.97	$60,380	$65,276	23%
46	MichiganState	0.96	$59,340	$64,290	23%
47	OregonState	0.96	$66,350	$64,417	29%
48	PennsylvaniaState	0.96	$62,400	$64,330	25%
49	MaineState	0.95	$63,830	$63,958	24%
50	MontanaState	0.95	$61,770	$64,077	22%
51	North DakotaState	0.95	$59,190	$63,920	20%
52	ConnecticutState	0.93	$67,330	$62,574	28%
53	VermontState	0.93	$63,870	$62,312	27%
54	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MDMetro	0.93	$64,800	$62,609	30%
55	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FLMetro	0.93	$61,850	$62,792	33%
56	UtahState	0.92	$61,740	$61,617	29%
57	ArizonaState	0.91	$61,460	$60,912	29%
58	AlaskaState	0.90	$63,320	$60,709	26%
59	New HampshireState	0.90	$64,140	$60,509	30%
60	VirginiaState	0.90	$62,560	$60,444	30%
61	DelawareState	0.89	$60,360	$59,762	27%
62	FloridaState	0.89	$60,860	$59,961	34%
63	MarylandState	0.89	$65,070	$59,588	31%
64	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MDMetro	0.89	$63,080	$59,622	32%
65	West VirginiaState	0.88	$49,800	$59,145	20%
66	HawaiiState	0.86	$63,780	$57,982	45%
67	Rhode IslandState	0.86	$58,100	$57,811	31%
68	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FLMetro	0.83	$60,860	$56,092	40%
69	MississippiState	0.77	$43,740	$51,580	25%

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