Best Cities for Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installerss

Cities ranked by purchasing power — where security and fire alarm systems installerss 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	AlaskaState	1.27	$79,870	$76,577	21%
2	Rhode IslandState	1.26	$76,320	$75,940	24%
3	OregonState	1.22	$75,710	$73,505	25%
4	MassachusettsState	1.20	$78,530	$72,378	34%
5	IowaState	1.19	$63,750	$71,469	18%
6	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WAMetro	1.18	$76,630	$71,085	28%
7	ConnecticutState	1.17	$75,410	$70,084	25%
8	AlabamaState	1.16	$60,710	$69,701	19%
9	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NHMetro	1.15	$78,560	$69,216	39%
10	KansasState	1.14	$61,480	$68,311	20%
11	KentuckyState	1.14	$60,700	$68,588	19%
12	OhioState	1.14	$61,860	$68,429	20%
13	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CAMetro	1.14	$81,980	$68,203	46%
14	WashingtonState	1.13	$72,950	$67,987	31%
15	Columbus, OHMetro	1.12	$63,060	$67,444	25%
16	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WAMetro	1.11	$75,910	$66,413	35%
17	WisconsinState	1.10	$61,130	$66,230	21%
18	Kansas City, MO-KSMetro	1.10	$61,480	$66,250	25%
19	CaliforniaState	1.08	$71,570	$64,652	38%
20	South CarolinaState	1.08	$59,710	$64,902	25%
21	IndianaState	1.07	$58,070	$64,166	22%
22	MaineState	1.07	$64,080	$64,208	24%
23	WyomingState	1.07	$59,800	$64,301	20%
24	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SCMetro	1.07	$61,590	$64,290	29%
25	Pittsburgh, PAMetro	1.07	$59,440	$64,259	24%
26	MinnesotaState	1.06	$62,440	$63,714	25%
27	New MexicoState	1.06	$58,350	$63,424	22%
28	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WIMetro	1.05	$62,720	$63,035	28%
29	North DakotaState	1.04	$57,620	$62,225	20%
30	MissouriState	1.03	$54,620	$61,648	23%
31	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FLMetro	1.03	$61,040	$61,970	34%
32	IllinoisState	1.02	$59,800	$61,396	26%
33	MontanaState	1.02	$58,800	$60,996	23%
34	PennsylvaniaState	1.02	$59,500	$61,340	26%
35	South DakotaState	1.02	$55,690	$61,333	21%
36	UtahState	1.02	$61,150	$61,028	29%
37	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CAMetro	1.02	$71,570	$61,433	38%
38	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TXMetro	1.02	$56,600	$61,522	28%
39	LouisianaState	1.01	$54,730	$60,744	23%
40	MichiganState	1.01	$55,830	$60,488	24%
41	NevadaState	1.01	$60,980	$60,858	29%
42	West VirginiaState	1.01	$51,100	$60,689	20%
43	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GAMetro	1.01	$58,990	$60,940	33%
44	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MIMetro	1.01	$55,560	$60,921	26%
45	MarylandState	1.00	$65,330	$59,826	31%
46	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TNMetro	1.00	$57,860	$60,146	32%
47	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MDMetro	1.00	$61,870	$59,778	31%
48	FloridaState	0.99	$60,070	$59,182	34%
49	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TXMetro	0.99	$57,930	$59,599	33%
50	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WVMetro	0.99	$66,790	$59,211	36%
51	ArizonaState	0.98	$59,680	$59,148	30%
52	ColoradoState	0.98	$62,250	$59,061	36%
53	DelawareState	0.98	$59,680	$59,089	27%
54	VermontState	0.98	$60,080	$58,615	28%
55	VirginiaState	0.98	$60,790	$58,734	31%
56	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MDMetro	0.98	$62,130	$58,724	32%
57	New HampshireState	0.97	$61,530	$58,047	31%
58	New JerseyState	0.97	$63,140	$58,033	34%
59	HawaiiState	0.96	$63,140	$57,400	45%
60	GeorgiaState	0.95	$53,100	$56,852	32%
61	North CarolinaState	0.95	$54,120	$57,331	29%
62	ArkansasState	0.94	$48,950	$56,721	22%
63	TennesseeState	0.94	$51,460	$56,240	29%
64	MississippiState	0.93	$47,160	$55,613	23%
65	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FLMetro	0.93	$60,560	$55,816	40%
66	OklahomaState	0.91	$48,240	$54,508	24%
67	TexasState	0.91	$52,270	$54,676	32%
68	NebraskaState	0.87	$48,000	$52,459	26%
69	New YorkState	0.87	$58,550	$52,044	38%
70	District of ColumbiaState	0.85	$58,460	$51,146	43%
71	IdahoState	0.85	$49,180	$50,964	29%

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