Best Cities for Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeepings

Cities ranked by purchasing power — where weighers, measurers, checkers, and samplers, recordkeepings 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	WyomingState	1.46	$62,840	$67,570	19%
2	IndianaState	1.36	$57,210	$63,215	22%
3	New MexicoState	1.26	$53,960	$58,652	23%
4	KentuckyState	1.20	$49,140	$55,525	23%
5	LouisianaState	1.17	$48,890	$54,262	26%
6	NebraskaState	1.16	$49,090	$53,650	26%
7	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TXMetro	1.16	$52,420	$53,930	36%
8	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WIMetro	1.16	$53,420	$53,688	33%
9	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TXMetro	1.16	$49,550	$53,859	32%
10	Pittsburgh, PAMetro	1.15	$49,230	$53,222	29%
11	AlabamaState	1.14	$46,010	$52,824	25%
12	ArkansasState	1.14	$45,490	$52,711	23%
13	IowaState	1.14	$47,180	$52,892	24%
14	OregonState	1.14	$54,500	$52,913	35%
15	Kansas City, MO-KSMetro	1.14	$49,180	$52,996	31%
16	MissouriState	1.12	$46,220	$52,167	27%
17	TennesseeState	1.12	$47,330	$51,727	32%
18	WisconsinState	1.12	$48,030	$52,037	27%
19	KansasState	1.10	$45,760	$50,844	27%
20	MaineState	1.10	$51,120	$51,222	30%
21	MinnesotaState	1.10	$49,830	$50,847	31%
22	PennsylvaniaState	1.10	$49,480	$51,010	31%
23	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MIMetro	1.09	$46,120	$50,570	32%
24	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TNMetro	1.09	$48,820	$50,748	38%
25	IllinoisState	1.08	$48,680	$49,979	32%
26	OhioState	1.08	$45,230	$50,033	28%
27	TexasState	1.08	$47,710	$49,906	35%
28	Columbus, OHMetro	1.08	$46,970	$50,235	33%
29	South CarolinaState	1.07	$45,760	$49,739	33%
30	UtahState	1.07	$49,830	$49,731	36%
31	South DakotaState	1.06	$44,430	$48,932	26%
32	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SCMetro	1.05	$46,720	$48,768	39%
33	GeorgiaState	1.04	$45,180	$48,373	38%
34	MichiganState	1.03	$43,950	$47,616	31%
35	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GAMetro	1.02	$45,780	$47,293	42%
36	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WAMetro	1.02	$51,030	$47,338	42%
37	NevadaState	1.00	$46,430	$46,337	38%
38	North CarolinaState	1.00	$43,680	$46,271	36%
39	MississippiState	0.99	$38,900	$45,873	28%
40	ArizonaState	0.98	$45,790	$45,382	39%
41	DelawareState	0.98	$46,120	$45,663	35%
42	IdahoState	0.98	$43,720	$45,306	33%
43	VermontState	0.98	$46,440	$45,307	37%
44	WashingtonState	0.98	$48,920	$45,592	47%
45	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MDMetro	0.98	$48,050	$45,416	42%
46	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WAMetro	0.98	$51,940	$45,442	51%
47	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MDMetro	0.97	$46,410	$44,841	41%
48	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FLMetro	0.97	$44,350	$45,025	47%
49	AlaskaState	0.95	$45,760	$43,873	36%
50	ColoradoState	0.94	$46,160	$43,795	48%
51	FloridaState	0.94	$44,260	$43,606	47%
52	New JerseyState	0.94	$47,640	$43,787	45%
53	VirginiaState	0.94	$45,360	$43,826	42%
54	ConnecticutState	0.93	$46,540	$43,253	40%
55	MassachusettsState	0.93	$46,880	$43,207	58%
56	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WVMetro	0.93	$48,760	$43,227	49%
57	MarylandState	0.91	$46,170	$42,280	44%
58	New HampshireState	0.91	$44,830	$42,292	42%
59	OklahomaState	0.91	$37,350	$42,203	31%
60	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NHMetro	0.91	$47,750	$42,070	64%
61	HawaiiState	0.90	$46,050	$41,864	62%
62	MontanaState	0.90	$40,460	$41,971	33%
63	New YorkState	0.90	$46,970	$41,751	47%
64	CaliforniaState	0.89	$45,730	$41,310	59%
65	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FLMetro	0.88	$44,300	$40,829	55%
66	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CAMetro	0.88	$49,330	$41,040	76%
67	Rhode IslandState	0.86	$40,300	$40,100	45%
68	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CAMetro	0.81	$43,670	$37,485	62%
69	West VirginiaState	0.80	$31,210	$37,067	32%

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