Best Cities for Photographerss

Cities ranked by purchasing power — where photographerss 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	2.17	$110,970	$97,087	23%
2	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WAMetro	1.23	$59,220	$54,935	36%
3	MississippiState	1.21	$45,860	$54,080	23%
4	MassachusettsState	1.20	$57,990	$53,447	47%
5	New YorkState	1.20	$60,050	$53,378	37%
6	KentuckyState	1.19	$47,170	$53,299	24%
7	New MexicoState	1.17	$48,090	$52,272	26%
8	OregonState	1.17	$53,630	$52,068	36%
9	UtahState	1.17	$52,140	$52,036	34%
10	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GAMetro	1.13	$48,670	$50,279	40%
11	South DakotaState	1.12	$45,330	$49,923	25%
12	DelawareState	1.11	$50,100	$49,604	32%
13	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NHMetro	1.09	$55,020	$48,476	56%
14	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WVMetro	1.08	$54,530	$48,342	44%
15	MinnesotaState	1.06	$46,470	$47,418	33%
16	Kansas City, MO-KSMetro	1.06	$43,750	$47,144	35%
17	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WIMetro	1.06	$46,960	$47,196	38%
18	GeorgiaState	1.05	$43,770	$46,863	39%
19	MaineState	1.05	$46,680	$46,774	33%
20	ConnecticutState	1.04	$49,790	$46,273	38%
21	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TNMetro	1.04	$44,480	$46,237	42%
22	NebraskaState	1.03	$41,920	$45,814	30%
23	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FLMetro	1.03	$49,980	$46,065	49%
24	Pittsburgh, PAMetro	1.03	$42,530	$45,978	33%
25	WisconsinState	1.02	$42,060	$45,569	31%
26	VirginiaState	1.01	$46,550	$44,976	41%
27	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TXMetro	1.01	$43,970	$45,237	43%
28	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WAMetro	1.01	$51,790	$45,311	51%
29	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FLMetro	1.01	$44,530	$45,208	46%
30	ColoradoState	1.00	$47,070	$44,658	47%
31	WashingtonState	1.00	$48,050	$44,781	47%
32	MissouriState	0.99	$39,170	$44,210	32%
33	Columbus, OHMetro	0.99	$41,390	$44,267	38%
34	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MDMetro	0.98	$46,170	$43,639	44%
35	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CAMetro	0.98	$52,470	$43,652	72%
36	CaliforniaState	0.97	$47,840	$43,216	57%
37	TexasState	0.97	$41,280	$43,180	40%
38	IowaState	0.96	$38,290	$42,926	30%
39	West VirginiaState	0.96	$36,110	$42,886	28%
40	MarylandState	0.95	$46,450	$42,537	43%
41	New HampshireState	0.95	$44,780	$42,245	42%
42	OhioState	0.95	$38,470	$42,555	33%
43	WyomingState	0.95	$39,330	$42,290	30%
44	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MDMetro	0.95	$43,750	$42,271	44%
45	FloridaState	0.94	$42,640	$42,010	48%
46	HawaiiState	0.94	$45,960	$41,782	62%
47	KansasState	0.94	$37,790	$41,989	33%
48	PennsylvaniaState	0.94	$40,520	$41,773	38%
49	AlabamaState	0.93	$36,130	$41,481	32%
50	MontanaState	0.93	$39,900	$41,390	34%
51	OklahomaState	0.93	$36,750	$41,525	32%
52	TennesseeState	0.93	$37,950	$41,475	40%
53	LouisianaState	0.92	$36,830	$40,877	34%
54	South CarolinaState	0.92	$37,890	$41,185	40%
55	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CAMetro	0.92	$47,840	$41,064	57%
56	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TXMetro	0.92	$37,780	$41,065	41%
57	North DakotaState	0.90	$37,410	$40,400	31%
58	IndianaState	0.89	$35,960	$39,735	35%
59	North CarolinaState	0.88	$37,120	$39,322	42%
60	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SCMetro	0.86	$36,810	$38,424	49%
61	ArkansasState	0.85	$32,810	$38,019	32%
62	AlaskaState	0.84	$39,190	$37,574	42%
63	IllinoisState	0.84	$36,570	$37,546	43%
64	NevadaState	0.84	$37,460	$37,385	47%
65	New JerseyState	0.83	$40,520	$37,243	53%
66	Rhode IslandState	0.83	$37,300	$37,114	48%
67	ArizonaState	0.82	$36,970	$36,640	49%
68	IdahoState	0.77	$33,320	$34,528	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).