The 22 best places to live in America if you want to make a lot of money (2024)

Written by Tanza Loudenback

Updated

2018-03-09T18:17:00Z

The 22 best places to live in America if you want to make a lot of money (1)

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Finding a great job that comes with a significant salary boost is one of the top reasons to move to a new city.

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In its 2017 ranking of the best places to live in America, U.S. News & World Report gathered data on the 100 most populous US cities. Among the factors itconsidered were affordable housing, a low cost of living, good schools, quality healthcare, and access to well-paying jobs. You can read U.S. News' full methodology here.

Business Insider reranked these cities based on averageannual salary to find the citieswhere residents earned more than $50,000 a year — on par with the national average. They don't all rank highly on U.S. News' overall list, given higher costs of livingandother factors, so we've included each city's overall rankingfor comparison's sake. For instance, Chicago ranks at No. 19in terms of salary, but it came in only at No. 83on the list of 100.

Of the 100 best places to live in the US, here are 22 where you can land the highest-paying jobs:

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22. Santa Rosa, California

The 22 best places to live in America if you want to make a lot of money (2)

Population: 495,078

Averageannual salary: $50,540

Overall rank on best places to live list:52

Just 55 miles north of San Francisco sits Santa Rosa, one of Sonoma County's premier wine-country towns. According to US News' local expert, Santa Rosa is an originator of the farm-to-table movementand "ahaven for bicyclists, who train on its rural western roads and visit en masse for two major cycling events: the Amgen Tour of California and the Levi's GranFondo."

The job market in Santa Rosa is powered by tourism: 9% of residents work in the industry, mainly at local farms, wineries, and brewpubs.

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21. Albany, New York

The 22 best places to live in America if you want to make a lot of money (3)

Population:877,846

Averageannual salary:$50,880

Overall rank on best places to live list: 30

Despite the snowy winters, living in Albany comes with several advantages. Albany offers a cost of living lower than the national average and the cost of housing sits well below the rest of the US as a whole. In terms of jobs, the city's tech and healthcare industries are on the rise.

Albany's downtown is lined with art galleries, wine shops, and churches for visitors to peruse. In keeping with the city's cold climate, hockey is the sport of choice for residents.

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20. Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina

The 22 best places to live in America if you want to make a lot of money (4)

Population:1,750,865

Averageannual salary:$51,150

Overall rank on best places to live list: 7

Raleigh-Durham and Chapel Hill are collectively known as the Triangle, an area anchored by its foundation in research and tech. The Triangle employs nearly 40,000 residentsat companies likeIBM,SAS Institute Inc., and Cisco Systems as well as surrounding collegesDuke, North Carolina State, and the University of North Carolina atChapel Hill. A strong job market coupled with aburgeoning microbrewery and dining scenedraws80 new residents every day, said a local expert.

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19. Chicago

The 22 best places to live in America if you want to make a lot of money (5)

Population:9,534,008

Averageannual salary:$51,600

Overall rank on best places to live list:83

The Midwest's largest city may have a couple of drawbacks, includingfrigid wintersanda high cost of living, but Chicago is also host to a bevy of corporations — 31 in the Fortune 500 — that can set residents up with a high-paying salary, including Boeing, United Airlines, Kraft, and Allstate.

Chicagoalso has a dynamic restaurant scene — far more thanjust the deep-dish pizza the city is famousfor — as well as world-class museums, theTaste of Chicago food festival, and the Lollapalooza music festival.

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18. Worcester, Massachusetts

The 22 best places to live in America if you want to make a lot of money (6)

Population:928,405

Average annual salary:$51,630

Overall rank on best places to live list:54

Though by no means small, Worcester offers a more pastoral atmosphere than many cities its size — known for its rolling hills and nearly 500 acres of parks. A dynamic healthcare sector, including several hospitals and medical-research universities, furnish many residents with lucrative careers.

17. Houston, Texas

The 22 best places to live in America if you want to make a lot of money (7)

Population:6,346,653

Averageannual salary:$51,830

Overall rank on best places to live list: 20

Houston is a major player in the oil and gas, manufacturing, aerospace, and healthcare industries— it's alsohome to 26 Fortune 500 companies.According to one local expert, "a paycheck goes further in Houston than it does in other major cities, with affordable housing and free or cheap attractions." Plus, the city has an affinity for food, counting some 11,000 restaurants within its boundaries.

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16. Los Angeles

The 22 best places to live in America if you want to make a lot of money (8)

Population:18,388,091

Average annual salary:$51,766

Overall rank on best places to live list:88

The country's second-largest city has, well, everything to offer. From mountains and deserts to forests and beaches, there's no shortage of sunny, outdoor activities at the fingertips ofLos Angeles' millions of residents and visitors. The job market isvaried, too, with top employers in manufacturing, transportation, trade, and business.And thecity's "creative economy" providesmore than 355,000 jobs inmuseums, fashion and design, and entertainment.

There's an"intoxicating mix of free-spirited hope and relentless ambition [that is] the defining characteristic of Los Angeles residents," sharedone local expert.

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15. Portland, Oregon

The 22 best places to live in America if you want to make a lot of money (9)

Population:2,320,323

Averageannual salary:$52,140

Overall rank on best places to live list: 32

Portland isn't for everybody — its slogan is "Keep Portland Weird," after all. But one local expert asserts that it's a "well-rounded city with more than just the offbeat shops and events" and a population that has "more academic degrees than the national average."

An annual job growth rate of 2.9% per year is attributed to roots in the technology sector, includingmajor employer Intel Corporation, as well as the 6,000-employee headquarters for Nike, located about seven miles outside of Portland.

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14. Philadelphia

The 22 best places to live in America if you want to make a lot of money (10)

Population:6,035,680

Average annual salary:$52,420

Overall rank on best places to live list:77

With top-notch colleges and robust health, finance, and education sectors, workers who live inPhiladelphiaearn competitive salaries fromcompanieslike Wells Fargo and the University of Pennsylvania.

The City of Brotherly Lovealso has a thriving food sceneand a passionate sports culture. Tread carefully if you plan to support a rival of the Eagles, Phillies, Flyers, or 76ers.

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13. Sacramento, California

The 22 best places to live in America if you want to make a lot of money (11)

Population:2,221,525

Average annual salary:$53,340

Overall rank on best places to live list: 66

As California's state capital,Sacramento is a desirable place to live thanks to a healthy job market, especially in construction, technology, and healthcare. The tourism sector is also growing, hosting multiple conventions and sporting events, including cycling tours and marathons.

The city is also a magnetfor outdoors enthusiasts, providing abundant green spaces and easy access to several national parks and forests.

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12. Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota

The 22 best places to live in America if you want to make a lot of money (12)

Population:3,458,790

Averageannual salary:$53,450

Overall rank on best places to live list: 17

The Twin Cities have "big-city amenities like museums and sports stadiums, but also have an approachable, Midwestern feel,"according to a local expert. Residents are accustomed to the area's changing seasons, participating in ice fishing and cross-country skiing in the winter and music festivals and baseball games in the spring and summer. Jobs are available in science-focused fields at companies like Xcel Energy and Medtronicas well asretail corporations like Best Buy and Target.

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11. New Haven, Connecticut

The 22 best places to live in America if you want to make a lot of money (13)

Population:862,224

Average annual salary:$53,680

Overall rank on best places to live list: 81

The small seaside town of New Haven combines "New England charm and global cosmopolitanism," making it the "cultural capital of Connecticut," according to a local expert. The city is home to Yale University, which has long attractedpoliticians, artists, and innovators to the area, and it's also knownfor its New Haven-style pizza.

Healthcare, education, and social services are the largest job sectors in New Haven, in part because of the university and Yale New Haven Hospital.

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10. Baltimore

The 22 best places to live in America if you want to make a lot of money (14)

Population:2,769,818

Average annual salary:$53,690

Overall rank on best places to live list:73

Baltimore — aka Charm City — has experiencedan influx of new residents in recent yearsand a growing bioscience industry that's created a slew of employment opportunities at places like Johns Hopkins University and the University of Maryland.

According to alocal expert, Baltimore has a flourishing diningscene, timeless and elegant architecture, and a small-town feel that's cherished by locals.

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9. San Diego, California

The 22 best places to live in America if you want to make a lot of money (15)

Population:3,223,096

Averageannual salary:$54,210

Overall rank on best places to live list: 22

With year-round sunshine and beautiful beaches to boot, it's easy to enjoy living in San Diego. According to U.S. News, this Southern California gem "offers world-class dining, professional sports, and entertainment options" for college students, young professionals, and families alike.

Tourism is a huge industry in San Diego — which seesmore than 30 million visitors annually — but the city's seaside location is more than just eye candy. Some of the area's largest employers include the US Navy and the Marine Corps.

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8. Denver, Colorado

The 22 best places to live in America if you want to make a lot of money (16)

Population:2,703,972

Averageannual salary:$54,450

Overall rank on best places to live list: 2

While Denver sits at the base of the Rocky Mountains, it's not considered a mountain town since it takes at least an hour to get to the Rockies for snowboarding and ski activities, a local expert explained. At 5,279 feet, the Mile High City lives up to its name in more ways than one: In 2012, Colorado legalized recreational marijuana, paving the way for a flourishing and lucrative cannabis industry.

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7. Hartford, Connecticut

The 22 best places to live in America if you want to make a lot of money (17)

Population:1,214,056

Averageannual salary:$56,870

Overall rank on best places to live list: 31

Located in the Connecticut River Valley, Hartford was once the home to notablehistoric figures, including Mark Twain and Harriet Beecher Stowe. Among the city's historic attractions, today it offers nearby entertainment venues, ski slopes, state parks.

The aerospace, healthcare, and financial services industries dominate the job market in Hartford, which is home to Aetna Inc., United Technologies Corp., and Hartford Hospital.

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6. Seattle, Washington

The 22 best places to live in America if you want to make a lot of money (18)

Population:3,614,361

Averageannual salary:$59,060

Overall rank on best places to live list: 6

Seattle is sandwiched between water and mountains and doesn't get as much rain as you'd think, said one local expert. The city's residents are drawn to the area for its atmosphere of "calm and patience" and its close proximity to nature. Jobs in Seattle are concentrated in tech, healthcare, and maritime industries, but the city is also a huge manufacturing centerfor companies like Boeing.

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5. New York City

The 22 best places to live in America if you want to make a lot of money (19)

Population:20,919,933

Average annual salary:$60,108

Overall rank on best places to live list:80

The largest city in America is a melting pot for the world's cultures. With five boroughs and dozens of neighborhoods, New York City has endless options for entertainment, cuisine, and recreation. Its cost of living is among the highest in the US, and one local expert said that people often move to "the city that never sleeps"to "test the adage 'if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere.'"

As the financial capital of the US, the city is a global hub for dozens of Fortune 500 companies, including Pfizer, Verizon, and Morgan Stanley. Plus, the unemployment rate is at its lowest point since 2008.

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4. Boston, Massachusetts

The 22 best places to live in America if you want to make a lot of money (20)

Population:4,694,565

Averageannual salary:$62,070

Overall rank on best places to live list: 8

Boston attracts a diverse group of residents, including everyone from recent college graduates to retireesandmusicians to engineers.The historical city — often referred to as the "Cradle of Liberty," according to onelocal expert — also overflows with team spirit for the Red Sox and 2017 Super Bowl champions, thePatriots.

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3. Washington, DC

The 22 best places to live in America if you want to make a lot of money (21)

Population: 5,949,403

Averageannual salary:$65,910

Overall rank on best places to live list: 4

The District's neighborhoods each give off their own vibe, but across the cityresidents often "gather for block parties, mingle at dog parks, and converse at coffee shops,"explained a local expert. While Washington, DC,is known as a hub for politics, there's also a strong job marketfor education and health services.

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2. San Francisco, California

The 22 best places to live in America if you want to make a lot of money (22)

Population:4,528,894

Averageannual salary:$66,900

Overall rank on best places to live list: 16

A local expertdescribed San Francisco as "the heart of the bohemian lifestyle, the epicenter of the LGBT rights movement, and the launching point of the technology era." In the last decade, thousands of tech companies have raced to set up shop in the Bay Area, sending the cost of living through the roof. But despite all the focus on the tech and startup scene, the city also has plenty of business jobs availablewithmore than 30 international financeheadquarters.

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1. San Jose, California

The 22 best places to live in America if you want to make a lot of money (23)

Population:1,925,706

Averageannual salary:$78,620

Overall rank on best places to live list: 3

The sprawling city of San Jose is "as much defined by its suburban neighborhoods and large tech campuses as it is by the high-rises in its business district,"said a local expert. Young residents and recent graduates of nearby Stanford and UC Berkeley have no trouble finding jobs in the area, which toutsCisco, eBay, and IBM as its largest private-sector employers.

Tanza Loudenback

Tanza is a CFP® professional and former correspondent for Personal Finance Insider. She broke down personal finance news and wrote about taxes, investing, retirement, wealth building, and debt management. She helmed a biweekly newsletter and a column answering reader questions about money.Tanza is the author of two ebooks, A Guide to Financial Planners and "The One-Month Plan to Master your Money."In 2020, Tanza was the editorial lead on Master Your Money, a yearlong original series providing financial tools, advice, and inspiration to millennials.Tanza joined Business Insider in June 2015 and is an alumna of Elon University, where she studied journalism and Italian. She is based in Los Angeles.