Best Cities for Retail Salespersonss

Cities ranked by purchasing power — where retail salespersonss 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	North DakotaState	1.10	$36,040	$38,920	33%
2	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MIMetro	1.09	$35,130	$38,520	42%
3	MissouriState	1.07	$33,460	$37,765	37%
4	South DakotaState	1.07	$34,370	$37,852	33%
5	MichiganState	1.06	$34,640	$37,530	39%
6	MontanaState	1.06	$36,270	$37,624	37%
7	MinnesotaState	1.05	$36,370	$37,112	42%
8	WisconsinState	1.05	$34,480	$37,356	38%
9	MaineState	1.04	$36,640	$36,713	42%
10	WashingtonState	1.04	$39,560	$36,869	58%
11	WyomingState	1.04	$34,310	$36,892	34%
12	Kansas City, MO-KSMetro	1.04	$34,320	$36,983	45%
13	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WIMetro	1.04	$36,670	$36,854	48%
14	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CAMetro	1.04	$44,220	$36,789	85%
15	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WAMetro	1.04	$42,080	$36,815	63%
16	IdahoState	1.03	$35,080	$36,352	41%
17	IllinoisState	1.03	$35,370	$36,314	44%
18	VermontState	1.03	$37,400	$36,488	46%
19	ColoradoState	1.02	$37,950	$36,006	58%
20	New MexicoState	1.02	$33,300	$36,196	38%
21	Columbus, OHMetro	1.02	$33,780	$36,128	46%
22	AlaskaState	1.01	$37,290	$35,753	44%
23	KansasState	1.01	$32,180	$35,756	39%
24	OregonState	1.01	$36,770	$35,699	52%
25	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TNMetro	1.01	$34,420	$35,780	54%
26	ArizonaState	1.00	$35,720	$35,401	50%
27	DelawareState	0.99	$35,360	$35,010	46%
28	IowaState	0.99	$31,360	$35,157	36%
29	TennesseeState	0.99	$31,950	$34,918	47%
30	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SCMetro	0.99	$33,580	$35,052	54%
31	CaliforniaState	0.98	$38,440	$34,724	71%
32	IndianaState	0.98	$31,530	$34,840	40%
33	NebraskaState	0.98	$31,870	$34,831	39%
34	Rhode IslandState	0.98	$34,860	$34,687	52%
35	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WAMetro	0.98	$37,340	$34,638	58%
36	AlabamaState	0.97	$30,040	$34,489	38%
37	HawaiiState	0.97	$37,790	$34,355	76%
38	West VirginiaState	0.97	$28,950	$34,382	35%
39	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TXMetro	0.97	$33,400	$34,362	57%
40	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FLMetro	0.97	$33,790	$34,305	61%
41	ArkansasState	0.96	$29,270	$33,917	36%
42	ConnecticutState	0.96	$36,490	$33,913	52%
43	NevadaState	0.96	$34,190	$34,122	51%
44	New HampshireState	0.96	$36,200	$34,151	53%
45	OhioState	0.96	$30,800	$34,071	41%
46	UtahState	0.96	$33,900	$33,832	53%
47	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GAMetro	0.96	$32,850	$33,936	59%
48	District of ColumbiaState	0.95	$38,500	$33,683	66%
49	FloridaState	0.95	$34,010	$33,507	61%
50	KentuckyState	0.95	$29,650	$33,503	39%
51	MassachusettsState	0.95	$36,610	$33,742	74%
52	MississippiState	0.95	$28,640	$33,774	38%
53	New JerseyState	0.95	$36,520	$33,566	59%
54	New YorkState	0.95	$37,720	$33,529	59%
55	OklahomaState	0.95	$29,660	$33,514	39%
56	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MDMetro	0.95	$34,810	$33,633	55%
57	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TXMetro	0.95	$30,960	$33,652	51%
58	North CarolinaState	0.94	$31,370	$33,231	50%
59	South CarolinaState	0.94	$30,690	$33,359	49%
60	Pittsburgh, PAMetro	0.94	$30,840	$33,341	46%
61	GeorgiaState	0.93	$30,840	$33,019	55%
62	VirginiaState	0.93	$34,240	$33,082	55%
63	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MDMetro	0.93	$34,800	$32,892	58%
64	LouisianaState	0.92	$29,490	$32,730	43%
65	MarylandState	0.92	$35,510	$32,518	57%
66	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NHMetro	0.92	$36,850	$32,467	83%
67	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WVMetro	0.92	$36,610	$32,456	65%
68	PennsylvaniaState	0.91	$31,200	$32,165	50%
69	TexasState	0.91	$30,800	$32,218	54%
70	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CAMetro	0.91	$37,700	$32,361	72%
71	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FLMetro	0.89	$34,330	$31,641	71%

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