Best Cities for Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastics

Cities ranked by purchasing power — where molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics 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	MontanaState	1.30	$57,860	$60,021	23%
2	Kansas City, MO-KSMetro	1.18	$50,370	$54,278	31%
3	KansasState	1.14	$47,360	$52,622	26%
4	OklahomaState	1.14	$46,460	$52,497	25%
5	LouisianaState	1.13	$46,870	$52,020	27%
6	MissouriState	1.13	$46,380	$52,348	27%
7	WisconsinState	1.13	$48,030	$52,037	27%
8	IowaState	1.12	$46,220	$51,816	25%
9	IndianaState	1.11	$46,400	$51,271	27%
10	New MexicoState	1.11	$46,970	$51,054	27%
11	OregonState	1.11	$52,740	$51,204	36%
12	West VirginiaState	1.11	$43,300	$51,425	23%
13	HawaiiState	1.10	$55,990	$50,900	51%
14	GeorgiaState	1.09	$47,160	$50,493	36%
15	NebraskaState	1.09	$46,220	$50,514	27%
16	South CarolinaState	1.09	$46,110	$50,120	33%
17	TennesseeState	1.09	$45,860	$50,120	33%
18	North DakotaState	1.08	$46,170	$49,860	25%
19	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MIMetro	1.08	$45,480	$49,868	32%
20	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CAMetro	1.08	$60,130	$50,025	63%
21	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WAMetro	1.08	$56,770	$49,668	46%
22	OhioState	1.07	$44,560	$49,292	28%
23	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GAMetro	1.07	$47,970	$49,556	40%
24	ConnecticutState	1.06	$52,520	$48,810	36%
25	MaineState	1.06	$48,640	$48,737	32%
26	MichiganState	1.06	$45,250	$49,025	30%
27	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NHMetro	1.06	$55,530	$48,925	55%
28	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TNMetro	1.06	$47,140	$49,002	40%
29	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TXMetro	1.06	$44,820	$48,717	35%
30	ArizonaState	1.05	$49,060	$48,622	37%
31	IllinoisState	1.05	$47,180	$48,439	33%
32	New HampshireState	1.05	$51,470	$48,557	37%
33	WashingtonState	1.05	$51,780	$48,257	44%
34	Pittsburgh, PAMetro	1.04	$44,210	$47,795	32%
35	DelawareState	1.03	$47,940	$47,465	34%
36	Rhode IslandState	1.03	$47,610	$47,373	38%
37	VermontState	1.03	$48,660	$47,473	35%
38	Columbus, OHMetro	1.03	$44,290	$47,369	35%
39	ColoradoState	1.02	$49,530	$46,992	45%
40	KentuckyState	1.02	$41,590	$46,994	28%
41	MassachusettsState	1.01	$50,550	$46,590	54%
42	MinnesotaState	1.01	$45,790	$46,724	34%
43	PennsylvaniaState	1.01	$45,310	$46,711	34%
44	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WAMetro	1.01	$50,180	$46,549	43%
45	MarylandState	1.00	$50,360	$46,117	40%
46	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MDMetro	1.00	$49,020	$46,333	41%
47	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WIMetro	1.00	$45,790	$46,020	39%
48	NevadaState	0.97	$45,020	$44,930	39%
49	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MDMetro	0.97	$46,480	$44,908	41%
50	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FLMetro	0.97	$44,330	$45,005	47%
51	CaliforniaState	0.96	$49,190	$44,435	55%
52	FloridaState	0.96	$45,030	$44,365	46%
53	IdahoState	0.96	$42,620	$44,166	34%
54	MississippiState	0.96	$37,580	$44,316	29%
55	VirginiaState	0.95	$45,410	$43,874	42%
56	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TXMetro	0.95	$42,490	$43,714	45%
57	New JerseyState	0.94	$47,360	$43,529	46%
58	UtahState	0.94	$43,440	$43,353	41%
59	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WVMetro	0.94	$48,800	$43,262	49%
60	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FLMetro	0.92	$46,110	$42,498	53%
61	AlabamaState	0.91	$36,730	$42,170	31%
62	TexasState	0.91	$40,010	$41,851	42%
63	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SCMetro	0.90	$39,980	$41,733	45%
64	ArkansasState	0.89	$35,620	$41,275	30%
65	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CAMetro	0.89	$47,640	$40,893	57%
66	New YorkState	0.88	$45,940	$40,836	48%
67	North CarolinaState	0.88	$38,190	$40,456	41%
68	WyomingState	0.87	$37,510	$40,333	32%

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