Best Cities for Payroll and Timekeeping Clerkss

Cities ranked by purchasing power — where payroll and timekeeping clerkss 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	1.12	$74,670	$65,328	34%
2	North DakotaState	1.12	$60,600	$65,443	19%
3	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MIMetro	1.12	$59,610	$65,362	25%
4	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GAMetro	1.11	$62,710	$64,783	31%
5	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CAMetro	1.11	$77,950	$64,850	48%
6	GeorgiaState	1.10	$59,990	$64,229	28%
7	WisconsinState	1.10	$59,310	$64,258	22%
8	OhioState	1.09	$57,270	$63,352	22%
9	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WIMetro	1.09	$63,060	$63,377	28%
10	IllinoisState	1.08	$61,390	$63,029	26%
11	KansasState	1.08	$56,590	$62,878	22%
12	Columbus, OHMetro	1.08	$59,010	$63,112	26%
13	MinnesotaState	1.07	$61,320	$62,571	25%
14	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TXMetro	1.06	$60,230	$61,965	32%
15	MissouriState	1.05	$54,080	$61,038	23%
16	Kansas City, MO-KSMetro	1.05	$56,590	$60,981	27%
17	ColoradoState	1.04	$64,140	$60,854	35%
18	IowaState	1.04	$54,080	$60,628	21%
19	MichiganState	1.04	$56,160	$60,845	24%
20	KentuckyState	1.03	$52,890	$59,763	22%
21	NebraskaState	1.03	$54,900	$60,000	23%
22	WashingtonState	1.03	$64,560	$60,168	35%
23	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SCMetro	1.03	$57,650	$60,177	31%
24	AlaskaState	1.02	$62,210	$59,645	26%
25	IndianaState	1.02	$53,770	$59,414	24%
26	New HampshireState	1.02	$63,090	$59,519	30%
27	OregonState	1.02	$60,980	$59,204	31%
28	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WAMetro	1.02	$64,170	$59,527	34%
29	CaliforniaState	1.01	$65,340	$59,024	42%
30	MassachusettsState	1.01	$63,670	$58,682	43%
31	Rhode IslandState	1.01	$59,370	$59,075	30%
32	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NHMetro	1.01	$66,930	$58,969	46%
33	NevadaState	1.00	$58,220	$58,104	30%
34	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TNMetro	1.00	$55,960	$58,170	33%
35	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WAMetro	1.00	$66,630	$58,294	40%
36	ConnecticutState	0.99	$62,200	$57,807	30%
37	MaineState	0.99	$57,360	$57,475	27%
38	New MexicoState	0.99	$53,230	$57,859	24%
39	PennsylvaniaState	0.99	$55,690	$57,412	28%
40	MontanaState	0.98	$55,040	$57,095	25%
41	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MDMetro	0.98	$60,330	$57,023	33%
42	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MDMetro	0.98	$58,810	$56,821	33%
43	HawaiiState	0.97	$62,070	$56,427	46%
44	LouisianaState	0.97	$50,800	$56,382	25%
45	North CarolinaState	0.97	$53,550	$56,727	29%
46	OklahomaState	0.97	$49,920	$56,407	23%
47	South CarolinaState	0.97	$52,240	$56,783	29%
48	TennesseeState	0.97	$51,780	$56,590	29%
49	TexasState	0.97	$54,090	$56,579	31%
50	UtahState	0.97	$56,430	$56,317	32%
51	VirginiaState	0.97	$58,250	$56,280	32%
52	West VirginiaState	0.97	$47,460	$56,366	21%
53	Pittsburgh, PAMetro	0.97	$52,400	$56,649	27%
54	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WVMetro	0.97	$63,440	$56,241	38%
55	DelawareState	0.96	$56,430	$55,871	29%
56	New JerseyState	0.96	$60,750	$55,836	36%
57	WyomingState	0.96	$51,940	$55,849	23%
58	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CAMetro	0.96	$65,040	$55,828	42%
59	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TXMetro	0.95	$50,830	$55,250	31%
60	MarylandState	0.94	$59,760	$54,725	34%
61	New YorkState	0.93	$61,040	$54,258	36%
62	VermontState	0.93	$55,340	$53,990	31%
63	ArkansasState	0.92	$46,110	$53,430	23%
64	IdahoState	0.92	$51,790	$53,668	28%
65	AlabamaState	0.91	$46,170	$53,008	25%
66	MississippiState	0.91	$45,170	$53,267	24%
67	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FLMetro	0.91	$57,450	$52,949	43%
68	South DakotaState	0.90	$47,680	$52,511	24%
69	FloridaState	0.88	$51,910	$51,143	40%
70	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FLMetro	0.88	$50,440	$51,208	41%
71	ArizonaState	0.85	$50,210	$49,762	36%

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