Best Cities for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workerss

Cities ranked by purchasing power — where mental health and substance abuse social 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	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CAMetro	1.51	$109,050	$90,724	35%
2	MinnesotaState	1.27	$75,020	$76,551	20%
3	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WIMetro	1.25	$75,020	$75,397	24%
4	ConnecticutState	1.21	$78,640	$73,086	24%
5	CaliforniaState	1.18	$79,000	$71,364	34%
6	New MexicoState	1.18	$65,640	$71,348	19%
7	VermontState	1.18	$73,210	$71,424	23%
8	New YorkState	1.17	$79,380	$70,560	28%
9	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WVMetro	1.15	$78,210	$69,335	31%
10	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WAMetro	1.14	$78,350	$68,548	34%
11	ArkansasState	1.13	$58,590	$67,891	18%
12	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WAMetro	1.13	$73,740	$68,404	29%
13	MarylandState	1.12	$73,580	$67,381	27%
14	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CAMetro	1.12	$78,410	$67,305	35%
15	WisconsinState	1.11	$61,860	$67,021	21%
16	OregonState	1.10	$68,210	$66,223	28%
17	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MDMetro	1.10	$70,360	$66,503	29%
18	MichiganState	1.09	$60,830	$65,905	22%
19	North DakotaState	1.09	$60,980	$65,853	19%
20	WashingtonState	1.09	$70,460	$65,666	32%
21	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MIMetro	1.08	$59,520	$65,263	25%
22	District of ColumbiaState	1.06	$73,310	$64,138	34%
23	WyomingState	1.06	$59,310	$63,774	20%
24	KansasState	1.04	$56,330	$62,589	22%
25	NevadaState	1.04	$62,900	$62,774	28%
26	Kansas City, MO-KSMetro	1.04	$58,320	$62,845	26%
27	ColoradoState	1.03	$65,620	$62,258	34%
28	VirginiaState	1.03	$64,240	$62,068	29%
29	New JerseyState	1.02	$66,590	$61,204	32%
30	North CarolinaState	1.02	$58,210	$61,663	27%
31	Rhode IslandState	1.01	$60,990	$60,687	30%
32	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SCMetro	1.01	$58,090	$60,637	31%
33	New HampshireState	1.00	$63,900	$60,283	30%
34	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GAMetro	1.00	$58,500	$60,434	33%
35	DelawareState	0.99	$60,060	$59,465	27%
36	West VirginiaState	0.99	$50,070	$59,466	20%
37	MassachusettsState	0.96	$62,500	$57,604	43%
38	MississippiState	0.96	$48,970	$57,748	22%
39	MaineState	0.95	$57,050	$57,164	27%
40	MissouriState	0.93	$49,560	$55,937	25%
41	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NHMetro	0.93	$63,830	$56,238	48%
42	GeorgiaState	0.92	$52,030	$55,707	33%
43	AlaskaState	0.90	$56,710	$54,372	29%
44	IdahoState	0.90	$52,520	$54,425	27%
45	IowaState	0.90	$48,530	$54,406	24%
46	IndianaState	0.89	$48,300	$53,370	26%
47	South DakotaState	0.89	$48,920	$53,877	23%
48	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FLMetro	0.89	$52,730	$53,533	39%
49	LouisianaState	0.87	$47,100	$52,275	27%
50	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MDMetro	0.87	$54,510	$52,667	35%
51	IllinoisState	0.85	$49,960	$51,294	31%
52	OhioState	0.85	$46,080	$50,973	27%
53	Columbus, OHMetro	0.85	$47,820	$51,144	32%
54	FloridaState	0.84	$51,590	$50,828	40%
55	TennesseeState	0.84	$46,500	$50,820	32%
56	UtahState	0.84	$50,770	$50,669	35%
57	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TNMetro	0.84	$48,630	$50,551	38%
58	Pittsburgh, PAMetro	0.84	$47,100	$50,919	30%
59	PennsylvaniaState	0.83	$48,290	$49,784	32%
60	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TXMetro	0.83	$45,930	$49,924	34%
61	HawaiiState	0.82	$54,390	$49,445	53%
62	OklahomaState	0.81	$43,120	$48,723	27%
63	TexasState	0.81	$46,630	$48,776	36%
64	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TXMetro	0.81	$47,390	$48,755	40%
65	KentuckyState	0.80	$42,570	$48,102	27%
66	AlabamaState	0.79	$41,500	$47,646	28%
67	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FLMetro	0.79	$51,510	$47,475	48%
68	MontanaState	0.78	$45,160	$46,846	30%
69	NebraskaState	0.78	$43,240	$47,257	29%
70	ArizonaState	0.76	$46,380	$45,966	39%
71	South CarolinaState	0.72	$39,930	$43,402	38%

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