Best Cities for Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialistss

Cities ranked by purchasing power — where market research analysts and marketing specialistss 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	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CAMetro	1.50	$141,960	$118,103	27%
2	DelawareState	1.27	$101,270	$100,267	16%
3	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WIMetro	1.25	$97,910	$98,402	18%
4	MassachusettsState	1.19	$101,810	$93,834	27%
5	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NHMetro	1.15	$102,390	$90,211	30%
6	MinnesotaState	1.13	$87,510	$89,296	18%
7	WashingtonState	1.13	$95,120	$88,649	24%
8	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WAMetro	1.13	$102,170	$89,388	26%
9	ColoradoState	1.12	$93,050	$88,283	24%
10	New YorkState	1.11	$98,580	$87,627	22%
11	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SCMetro	1.10	$82,930	$86,566	22%
12	CaliforniaState	1.09	$94,700	$85,547	29%
13	District of ColumbiaState	1.09	$98,090	$85,818	26%
14	Rhode IslandState	1.09	$86,240	$85,811	21%
15	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MIMetro	1.07	$77,100	$84,539	19%
16	North CarolinaState	1.05	$78,410	$83,061	20%
17	Columbus, OHMetro	1.05	$77,010	$82,364	20%
18	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GAMetro	1.04	$79,030	$81,643	25%
19	GeorgiaState	1.03	$75,850	$81,210	22%
20	IllinoisState	1.03	$79,120	$81,232	20%
21	New JerseyState	1.03	$88,190	$81,057	24%
22	OhioState	1.02	$72,790	$80,520	17%
23	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TNMetro	1.02	$77,240	$80,291	24%
24	MissouriState	1.01	$70,140	$79,165	18%
25	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WAMetro	1.01	$85,350	$79,174	25%
26	KansasState	0.99	$70,430	$78,256	18%
27	Kansas City, MO-KSMetro	0.99	$72,580	$78,211	21%
28	OregonState	0.98	$79,150	$76,845	24%
29	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TXMetro	0.98	$75,240	$77,407	25%
30	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WVMetro	0.98	$87,160	$77,270	27%
31	TennesseeState	0.97	$69,790	$76,273	22%
32	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MDMetro	0.97	$79,420	$76,734	24%
33	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FLMetro	0.97	$75,210	$76,355	27%
34	ArkansasState	0.96	$65,430	$75,817	16%
35	South CarolinaState	0.96	$69,440	$75,478	22%
36	TexasState	0.96	$72,520	$75,858	23%
37	IowaState	0.95	$66,390	$74,428	17%
38	FloridaState	0.94	$75,450	$74,335	27%
39	VirginiaState	0.94	$76,980	$74,377	25%
40	VermontState	0.93	$74,880	$73,054	23%
41	ConnecticutState	0.92	$77,740	$72,249	24%
42	MaineState	0.92	$71,980	$72,124	22%
43	MichiganState	0.92	$66,780	$72,351	20%
44	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FLMetro	0.92	$78,990	$72,802	31%
45	ArizonaState	0.91	$71,940	$71,298	25%
46	NevadaState	0.91	$71,840	$71,697	24%
47	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TXMetro	0.91	$65,950	$71,685	24%
48	MontanaState	0.90	$68,080	$70,622	20%
49	PennsylvaniaState	0.90	$68,760	$70,887	23%
50	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MDMetro	0.90	$74,620	$70,529	27%
51	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CAMetro	0.90	$82,990	$71,236	33%
52	IndianaState	0.89	$63,700	$70,387	20%
53	MarylandState	0.89	$76,370	$69,936	26%
54	OklahomaState	0.89	$61,940	$69,989	19%
55	South DakotaState	0.89	$63,490	$69,923	18%
56	WisconsinState	0.89	$64,800	$70,206	20%
57	KentuckyState	0.88	$61,480	$69,469	19%
58	AlabamaState	0.87	$59,530	$68,347	19%
59	Pittsburgh, PAMetro	0.87	$63,190	$68,314	22%
60	MississippiState	0.85	$56,640	$66,792	19%
61	New MexicoState	0.85	$61,950	$67,337	20%
62	LouisianaState	0.84	$59,690	$66,249	21%
63	North DakotaState	0.84	$61,580	$66,501	19%
64	NebraskaState	0.83	$60,000	$65,574	21%
65	WyomingState	0.83	$60,990	$65,581	19%
66	AlaskaState	0.81	$66,710	$63,960	25%
67	IdahoState	0.80	$60,970	$63,181	24%
68	UtahState	0.79	$62,630	$62,505	29%
69	West VirginiaState	0.79	$52,340	$62,162	19%
70	New HampshireState	0.77	$64,570	$60,915	29%
71	HawaiiState	0.69	$59,390	$53,991	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).