Best Cities for Personal Financial Advisorss

Cities ranked by purchasing power — where personal financial advisorss 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	New YorkState	1.41	$166,400	$147,911	13%
2	New JerseyState	1.39	$158,570	$145,744	14%
3	South DakotaState	1.35	$128,720	$141,762	9%
4	Kansas City, MO-KSMetro	1.26	$123,140	$132,694	13%
5	WisconsinState	1.23	$119,430	$129,393	11%
6	Pittsburgh, PAMetro	1.19	$115,600	$124,973	12%
7	DelawareState	1.18	$125,050	$123,812	13%
8	IllinoisState	1.17	$120,130	$123,337	13%
9	ConnecticutState	1.15	$129,720	$120,558	15%
10	OregonState	1.13	$122,830	$119,252	16%
11	CaliforniaState	1.12	$130,330	$117,733	21%
12	MassachusettsState	1.10	$125,670	$115,825	22%
13	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FLMetro	1.10	$125,670	$115,825	19%
14	KansasState	1.08	$102,530	$113,922	12%
15	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WAMetro	1.08	$122,830	$113,942	18%
16	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CAMetro	1.08	$136,820	$113,827	28%
17	MissouriState	1.07	$99,930	$112,788	12%
18	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MDMetro	1.07	$116,560	$112,618	16%
19	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NHMetro	1.06	$126,530	$111,480	24%
20	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TXMetro	1.05	$101,430	$110,250	15%
21	GeorgiaState	1.03	$101,450	$108,619	17%
22	PennsylvaniaState	1.03	$105,200	$108,454	15%
23	VermontState	1.02	$110,020	$107,337	16%
24	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GAMetro	1.02	$103,990	$107,428	19%
25	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CAMetro	1.02	$124,490	$106,858	22%
26	WashingtonState	1.01	$114,050	$106,291	20%
27	MinnesotaState	1.00	$102,660	$104,755	15%
28	South CarolinaState	1.00	$96,330	$104,707	16%
29	TexasState	0.99	$99,160	$103,724	17%
30	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SCMetro	0.99	$99,440	$103,800	18%
31	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WIMetro	0.99	$103,410	$103,930	17%
32	IowaState	0.98	$92,310	$103,487	12%
33	New MexicoState	0.98	$94,270	$102,467	13%
34	North CarolinaState	0.98	$96,880	$102,627	16%
35	NebraskaState	0.97	$93,280	$101,945	13%
36	MontanaState	0.96	$97,450	$101,089	14%
37	OhioState	0.96	$90,990	$100,653	14%
38	FloridaState	0.95	$100,970	$99,478	20%
39	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WAMetro	0.95	$114,540	$100,210	23%
40	VirginiaState	0.94	$102,640	$99,169	18%
41	IdahoState	0.93	$94,370	$97,793	15%
42	IndianaState	0.92	$87,710	$96,917	14%
43	ArizonaState	0.91	$96,950	$96,085	19%
44	West VirginiaState	0.90	$80,010	$95,024	13%
45	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TNMetro	0.90	$91,040	$94,636	21%
46	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WVMetro	0.90	$106,230	$94,176	23%
47	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MDMetro	0.89	$98,970	$93,544	20%
48	ArkansasState	0.88	$79,420	$92,028	13%
49	NevadaState	0.88	$92,720	$92,535	19%
50	TennesseeState	0.88	$84,160	$91,978	18%
51	District of ColumbiaState	0.87	$104,990	$91,855	24%
52	MarylandState	0.87	$99,880	$91,465	20%
53	New HampshireState	0.87	$96,780	$91,302	20%
54	AlabamaState	0.85	$77,990	$89,541	15%
55	Columbus, OHMetro	0.83	$81,600	$87,273	19%
56	ColoradoState	0.81	$89,280	$84,706	25%
57	MichiganState	0.80	$77,930	$84,431	17%
58	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MIMetro	0.80	$76,830	$84,243	19%
59	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FLMetro	0.80	$82,580	$83,838	25%
60	North DakotaState	0.79	$76,870	$83,013	15%
61	WyomingState	0.79	$77,490	$83,323	15%
62	Rhode IslandState	0.76	$80,200	$79,801	23%
63	OklahomaState	0.74	$68,670	$77,593	17%
64	UtahState	0.74	$77,390	$77,236	23%
65	AlaskaState	0.72	$78,690	$75,446	21%
66	KentuckyState	0.72	$67,150	$75,876	17%
67	MississippiState	0.71	$63,300	$74,646	17%
68	HawaiiState	0.66	$76,070	$69,155	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).