Best Cities for Physical Therapistss

Cities ranked by purchasing power — where physical therapistss 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	MississippiState	1.15	$99,990	$117,913	11%
2	New MexicoState	1.13	$106,880	$116,174	12%
3	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CAMetro	1.13	$139,000	$115,641	27%
4	ArkansasState	1.12	$99,010	$114,728	11%
5	West VirginiaState	1.12	$96,600	$114,727	10%
6	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TXMetro	1.12	$106,010	$115,228	15%
7	KentuckyState	1.11	$100,710	$113,797	11%
8	OhioState	1.11	$103,050	$113,993	12%
9	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MIMetro	1.10	$102,970	$112,906	14%
10	AlabamaState	1.09	$97,290	$111,699	12%
11	CaliforniaState	1.09	$124,190	$112,186	22%
12	IndianaState	1.09	$101,560	$112,221	12%
13	MissouriState	1.09	$99,310	$112,088	13%
14	Columbus, OHMetro	1.09	$105,130	$112,439	15%
15	AlaskaState	1.08	$115,280	$110,527	14%
16	NevadaState	1.08	$111,250	$111,028	16%
17	OklahomaState	1.08	$98,590	$111,401	12%
18	TexasState	1.08	$105,810	$110,680	16%
19	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TXMetro	1.08	$107,780	$110,885	18%
20	GeorgiaState	1.07	$102,700	$109,957	17%
21	South CarolinaState	1.07	$101,330	$110,141	15%
22	TennesseeState	1.07	$100,140	$109,443	15%
23	WisconsinState	1.07	$101,840	$110,336	13%
24	IowaState	1.06	$97,560	$109,372	12%
25	KansasState	1.06	$98,290	$109,211	13%
26	LouisianaState	1.06	$98,530	$109,356	13%
27	MichiganState	1.06	$100,900	$109,317	13%
28	Kansas City, MO-KSMetro	1.06	$101,270	$109,127	15%
29	IllinoisState	1.05	$105,250	$108,060	15%
30	WyomingState	1.05	$100,400	$107,957	12%
31	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TNMetro	1.05	$103,380	$107,464	18%
32	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GAMetro	1.04	$103,440	$106,860	19%
33	NebraskaState	1.03	$97,090	$106,109	13%
34	North CarolinaState	1.03	$99,910	$105,837	16%
35	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SCMetro	1.03	$101,060	$105,491	18%
36	Pittsburgh, PAMetro	1.03	$97,750	$105,676	14%
37	PennsylvaniaState	1.02	$101,380	$104,515	15%
38	MinnesotaState	1.01	$102,010	$104,092	15%
39	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FLMetro	1.01	$102,430	$103,990	20%
40	ArizonaState	1.00	$103,220	$102,299	17%
41	IdahoState	1.00	$99,000	$102,591	15%
42	New JerseyState	1.00	$112,140	$103,070	19%
43	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WIMetro	1.00	$102,450	$102,965	17%
44	South DakotaState	0.99	$92,660	$102,048	12%
45	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MDMetro	0.99	$105,790	$102,213	18%
46	DelawareState	0.98	$102,050	$101,040	16%
47	OregonState	0.98	$103,510	$100,495	18%
48	FloridaState	0.97	$101,040	$99,547	20%
49	MaineState	0.97	$99,720	$99,920	16%
50	UtahState	0.97	$99,880	$99,681	18%
51	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MDMetro	0.97	$105,810	$100,009	19%
52	Rhode IslandState	0.96	$99,400	$98,905	18%
53	WashingtonState	0.96	$105,950	$98,742	21%
54	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WAMetro	0.96	$106,250	$98,562	20%
55	MarylandState	0.95	$106,890	$97,885	19%
56	VirginiaState	0.95	$101,450	$98,019	19%
57	ColoradoState	0.94	$102,030	$96,803	22%
58	ConnecticutState	0.94	$104,360	$96,989	18%
59	MassachusettsState	0.93	$103,790	$95,659	26%
60	VermontState	0.93	$97,970	$95,580	17%
61	MontanaState	0.92	$91,450	$94,865	15%
62	New HampshireState	0.92	$99,850	$94,198	19%
63	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WAMetro	0.91	$107,290	$93,867	25%
64	HawaiiState	0.90	$101,700	$92,455	28%
65	North DakotaState	0.90	$85,330	$92,149	14%
66	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CAMetro	0.90	$108,170	$92,850	25%
67	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FLMetro	0.90	$100,870	$92,968	24%
68	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NHMetro	0.89	$103,550	$91,233	30%
69	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WVMetro	0.89	$102,980	$91,294	23%
70	District of ColumbiaState	0.87	$101,640	$88,924	25%
71	New YorkState	0.87	$100,660	$89,476	22%

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