Best Cities for Painters, Construction and Maintenances

Cities ranked by purchasing power — where painters, construction and maintenances 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	MissouriState	1.31	$57,510	$64,910	22%
2	IllinoisState	1.27	$61,260	$62,895	26%
3	HawaiiState	1.26	$68,220	$62,018	42%
4	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MIMetro	1.25	$56,330	$61,765	26%
5	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WIMetro	1.24	$60,850	$61,156	29%
6	MontanaState	1.22	$58,290	$60,467	23%
7	MaineState	1.20	$59,270	$59,389	26%
8	North DakotaState	1.20	$54,870	$59,255	21%
9	AlaskaState	1.18	$60,980	$58,466	27%
10	MinnesotaState	1.18	$57,270	$58,439	27%
11	DelawareState	1.17	$58,530	$57,950	28%
12	NevadaState	1.14	$56,390	$56,277	31%
13	IowaState	1.13	$49,710	$55,729	23%
14	WashingtonState	1.13	$59,650	$55,592	38%
15	IndianaState	1.12	$50,260	$55,536	25%
16	Columbus, OHMetro	1.12	$51,810	$55,412	30%
17	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MDMetro	1.12	$57,410	$55,469	33%
18	MichiganState	1.11	$50,650	$54,875	26%
19	OhioState	1.11	$49,450	$54,701	25%
20	ConnecticutState	1.10	$58,480	$54,349	32%
21	KentuckyState	1.10	$48,110	$54,362	24%
22	New JerseyState	1.10	$59,250	$54,458	36%
23	WisconsinState	1.10	$50,090	$54,269	26%
24	PennsylvaniaState	1.09	$52,120	$53,732	30%
25	Kansas City, MO-KSMetro	1.09	$50,070	$53,955	31%
26	CaliforniaState	1.08	$59,020	$53,315	46%
27	Pittsburgh, PAMetro	1.08	$49,490	$53,503	29%
28	MassachusettsState	1.07	$57,510	$53,005	47%
29	MississippiState	1.07	$44,800	$52,830	24%
30	New YorkState	1.07	$59,570	$52,951	37%
31	South DakotaState	1.07	$48,160	$53,040	24%
32	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WAMetro	1.07	$60,440	$52,878	44%
33	West VirginiaState	1.06	$44,230	$52,530	23%
34	District of ColumbiaState	1.05	$59,520	$52,073	42%
35	GeorgiaState	1.05	$48,340	$51,756	35%
36	NebraskaState	1.05	$47,280	$51,672	27%
37	VermontState	1.05	$53,120	$51,824	32%
38	LouisianaState	1.04	$46,410	$51,509	27%
39	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GAMetro	1.04	$49,570	$51,209	39%
40	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CAMetro	1.04	$61,970	$51,556	61%
41	OklahomaState	1.03	$44,900	$50,734	26%
42	WyomingState	1.03	$47,220	$50,774	25%
43	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NHMetro	1.03	$57,820	$50,943	53%
44	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CAMetro	1.03	$59,080	$50,712	46%
45	AlabamaState	1.02	$43,930	$50,436	26%
46	ColoradoState	1.02	$52,970	$50,256	42%
47	KansasState	1.02	$45,510	$50,567	27%
48	New MexicoState	1.02	$46,240	$50,261	27%
49	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WAMetro	1.00	$53,280	$49,425	40%
50	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FLMetro	0.98	$47,570	$48,294	43%
51	ArizonaState	0.97	$48,250	$47,820	37%
52	OregonState	0.96	$48,900	$47,476	39%
53	TennesseeState	0.96	$43,230	$47,246	35%
54	TexasState	0.96	$45,460	$47,552	37%
55	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TXMetro	0.96	$43,430	$47,207	36%
56	FloridaState	0.95	$47,530	$46,828	43%
57	New HampshireState	0.95	$49,670	$46,858	38%
58	North CarolinaState	0.95	$44,110	$46,727	35%
59	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SCMetro	0.95	$44,900	$46,868	40%
60	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TXMetro	0.95	$45,550	$46,862	42%
61	ArkansasState	0.94	$40,090	$46,454	26%
62	IdahoState	0.94	$44,880	$46,508	32%
63	UtahState	0.93	$46,050	$45,958	39%
64	VirginiaState	0.93	$47,470	$45,865	40%
65	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MDMetro	0.93	$48,600	$45,936	41%
66	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TNMetro	0.93	$44,330	$46,081	42%
67	MarylandState	0.91	$49,120	$44,982	41%
68	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WVMetro	0.91	$50,560	$44,823	47%
69	South CarolinaState	0.90	$40,840	$44,391	37%
70	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FLMetro	0.90	$48,490	$44,691	50%
71	Rhode IslandState	0.84	$41,590	$41,383	43%

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