Best Cities for Software Developerss

Cities ranked by purchasing power — where software developerss 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	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CAMetro	1.30	$213,110	$177,296	18%
2	CaliforniaState	1.16	$174,410	$157,552	16%
3	WashingtonState	1.14	$166,540	$155,210	14%
4	MassachusettsState	1.12	$165,210	$152,267	16%
5	New YorkState	1.09	$166,180	$147,716	13%
6	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NHMetro	1.08	$166,090	$146,335	18%
7	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WAMetro	1.08	$167,280	$146,352	16%
8	West VirginiaState	1.06	$121,000	$143,705	8%
9	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WAMetro	1.06	$156,000	$144,712	14%
10	MissouriState	1.05	$126,120	$142,348	10%
11	North CarolinaState	1.05	$134,710	$142,701	12%
12	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MIMetro	1.05	$130,760	$143,377	11%
13	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SCMetro	1.04	$135,920	$141,879	13%
14	AlabamaState	1.03	$122,540	$140,689	9%
15	GeorgiaState	1.03	$131,010	$140,268	13%
16	South CarolinaState	1.03	$129,450	$140,707	12%
17	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TXMetro	1.03	$128,430	$139,598	12%
18	OregonState	1.02	$142,720	$138,563	13%
19	TexasState	1.02	$132,150	$138,232	13%
20	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CAMetro	1.02	$160,920	$138,129	17%
21	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GAMetro	1.01	$132,960	$137,355	15%
22	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TXMetro	1.01	$133,290	$137,130	14%
23	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WVMetro	1.01	$154,930	$137,349	15%
24	IdahoState	1.00	$131,590	$136,363	11%
25	IllinoisState	1.00	$132,110	$135,637	12%
26	MichiganState	1.00	$125,570	$136,046	11%
27	New MexicoState	1.00	$124,520	$135,348	10%
28	Kansas City, MO-KSMetro	0.99	$124,990	$134,688	12%
29	Pittsburgh, PAMetro	0.99	$124,500	$134,595	11%
30	MinnesotaState	0.98	$130,050	$132,704	12%
31	OklahomaState	0.98	$118,100	$133,446	10%
32	TennesseeState	0.98	$122,430	$133,803	12%
33	WisconsinState	0.98	$122,660	$132,893	11%
34	ColoradoState	0.97	$138,390	$131,300	16%
35	DelawareState	0.97	$133,020	$131,703	12%
36	New HampshireState	0.97	$139,720	$131,811	14%
37	VirginiaState	0.97	$136,460	$131,845	14%
38	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MDMetro	0.97	$138,900	$131,285	15%
39	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WIMetro	0.97	$130,920	$131,578	14%
40	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TNMetro	0.97	$126,610	$131,611	15%
41	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FLMetro	0.97	$130,450	$132,437	16%
42	PennsylvaniaState	0.96	$126,550	$130,464	12%
43	Rhode IslandState	0.96	$130,590	$129,940	14%
44	Columbus, OHMetro	0.96	$122,340	$130,845	13%
45	ArizonaState	0.95	$129,690	$128,533	14%
46	FloridaState	0.95	$130,980	$129,044	16%
47	IowaState	0.95	$114,890	$128,800	10%
48	NevadaState	0.95	$128,810	$128,553	14%
49	UtahState	0.95	$128,810	$128,553	14%
50	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MDMetro	0.95	$133,040	$128,541	14%
51	KansasState	0.93	$113,420	$126,022	11%
52	MarylandState	0.93	$138,680	$126,996	15%
53	MontanaState	0.93	$121,990	$126,546	11%
54	OhioState	0.93	$114,090	$126,206	11%
55	ConnecticutState	0.92	$134,120	$124,647	14%
56	New JerseyState	0.92	$135,940	$124,945	16%
57	KentuckyState	0.91	$109,010	$123,175	11%
58	MaineState	0.91	$123,120	$123,367	13%
59	WyomingState	0.91	$115,170	$123,839	10%
60	VermontState	0.90	$125,280	$122,224	14%
61	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FLMetro	0.90	$132,650	$122,258	18%
62	ArkansasState	0.89	$104,490	$121,078	10%
63	NebraskaState	0.89	$110,900	$121,202	11%
64	District of ColumbiaState	0.88	$136,880	$119,755	18%
65	IndianaState	0.86	$105,920	$117,039	12%
66	LouisianaState	0.84	$102,800	$114,095	12%
67	North DakotaState	0.84	$105,600	$114,039	11%
68	HawaiiState	0.83	$124,040	$112,764	23%
69	MississippiState	0.83	$95,330	$112,417	11%
70	South DakotaState	0.78	$96,310	$106,068	12%

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