Best Cities for News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalistss

Cities ranked by purchasing power — where news analysts, reporters, and journalistss 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	District of ColumbiaState	1.48	$105,390	$92,205	24%
2	New YorkState	1.44	$100,770	$89,573	22%
3	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WVMetro	1.44	$101,020	$89,557	24%
4	GeorgiaState	1.41	$81,910	$87,698	21%
5	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GAMetro	1.41	$85,040	$87,851	23%
6	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MIMetro	1.36	$77,180	$84,627	19%
7	NevadaState	1.26	$78,550	$78,393	22%
8	Rhode IslandState	1.19	$74,570	$74,199	24%
9	TennesseeState	1.10	$62,390	$68,186	24%
10	MichiganState	1.09	$62,760	$67,996	21%
11	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FLMetro	1.08	$66,440	$67,452	31%
12	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MDMetro	1.06	$69,740	$65,917	29%
13	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TNMetro	1.05	$62,770	$65,249	30%
14	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SCMetro	1.03	$61,360	$64,050	29%
15	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CAMetro	1.02	$76,450	$63,602	49%
16	IllinoisState	1.00	$60,590	$62,207	26%
17	North CarolinaState	1.00	$58,670	$62,150	27%
18	WisconsinState	1.00	$57,530	$62,329	23%
19	UtahState	0.99	$61,880	$61,756	29%
20	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MDMetro	0.99	$63,690	$61,536	30%
21	VirginiaState	0.97	$62,140	$60,039	30%
22	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FLMetro	0.97	$65,610	$60,470	37%
23	New MexicoState	0.95	$54,610	$59,359	23%
24	MarylandState	0.94	$63,680	$58,315	32%
25	ColoradoState	0.93	$60,770	$57,657	36%
26	FloridaState	0.93	$58,730	$57,862	35%
27	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TXMetro	0.93	$56,000	$57,613	34%
28	ConnecticutState	0.92	$61,620	$57,268	31%
29	LouisianaState	0.91	$50,750	$56,326	25%
30	DelawareState	0.89	$55,600	$55,050	29%
31	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NHMetro	0.89	$62,750	$55,286	49%
32	New JerseyState	0.88	$59,830	$54,991	36%
33	OklahomaState	0.88	$48,210	$54,475	24%
34	KentuckyState	0.86	$47,530	$53,706	24%
35	MississippiState	0.86	$45,240	$53,349	24%
36	IdahoState	0.85	$51,190	$53,047	28%
37	IndianaState	0.85	$47,610	$52,608	27%
38	MissouriState	0.85	$46,920	$52,957	26%
39	OhioState	0.85	$47,880	$52,965	26%
40	South CarolinaState	0.84	$47,940	$52,109	31%
41	Columbus, OHMetro	0.84	$49,030	$52,439	32%
42	Kansas City, MO-KSMetro	0.84	$48,490	$52,252	32%
43	HawaiiState	0.83	$56,730	$51,573	50%
44	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TXMetro	0.83	$47,650	$51,793	33%
45	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WAMetro	0.83	$59,340	$51,916	44%
46	KansasState	0.82	$45,870	$50,967	27%
47	TexasState	0.82	$48,470	$50,701	34%
48	WashingtonState	0.82	$54,760	$51,034	42%
49	MaineState	0.81	$50,090	$50,190	31%
50	AlabamaState	0.80	$43,440	$49,874	26%
51	MontanaState	0.80	$47,960	$49,751	28%
52	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WIMetro	0.80	$49,680	$49,930	36%
53	IowaState	0.78	$43,540	$48,812	26%
54	OregonState	0.77	$49,200	$47,767	39%
55	South DakotaState	0.77	$43,520	$47,930	26%
56	MinnesotaState	0.76	$46,490	$47,439	33%
57	North DakotaState	0.75	$43,420	$46,890	27%
58	VermontState	0.74	$46,970	$45,824	36%
59	New HampshireState	0.73	$48,450	$45,708	39%
60	NebraskaState	0.71	$40,420	$44,175	31%
61	ArkansasState	0.70	$37,450	$43,395	28%
62	ArizonaState	0.69	$43,100	$42,716	42%
63	AlaskaState	0.68	$43,820	$42,013	37%
64	West VirginiaState	0.67	$35,280	$41,900	29%
65	WyomingState	0.62	$36,040	$38,753	33%

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