Best cities for pay after cost of living in the Mountain West
Key facts
- #1 Boulder, CO: $144k
- #2 Broomfield, CO: $144k
- #3 Westminster, CO: $143k
- 11 cities ranked in the Mountain West
- Data as of November 2026
For comparison: $132k across the typical city in our data.
- 1Boulder CO$144k
- 2Broomfield CO$144k
- 3Westminster CO$143k
- 4Aurora CO$139k
- 5Salt Lake City UT$137k
- 6Denver CO$133k
- 7Reno NV$132k
- 8Boise ID$131k
- 9Englewood CO$118k
- 10Colorado Springs CO$116k
What stands out
- The top ten is tightly packed: Boulder leads on $144k, and #10 Colorado Springs is at $116k.
- Englewood reaches #9 on a sample of 50 openings with pay posted, a smaller market than most of the top ten, so its rank can move more from month to month.
- Denver is the largest market in the top ten, with 840 openings with pay posted behind its figure.
- Cities with fewer than 100 openings with pay posted are not ranked, and small differences between neighbouring ranks are not meaningful.
Why this ranking matters
What it shows
A salary buys different amounts in different places. This list adjusts posted pay by the local price level, so it ranks what the pay is worth rather than the number on the posting.
How to use it
Use it to compare two offers or two cities. A lower headline salary in a cheaper place can leave you ahead of a higher one in an expensive metro.
The top 25
- 1
Boulder CO
$144k
- Median posted pay
- $149k
- State prices vs US average
- +3%
- Openings with pay posted
- 143
Hiring most here: BAE Systems, Scitec Innovations, Atom Computing
Based on 143 openings with pay posted.
- 2
Broomfield CO
$144k
- Median posted pay
- $149k
- State prices vs US average
- +3%
- Openings with pay posted
- 63
Hiring most here: BAE Systems, Crocs, Katalyst Ventures
Based on 63 openings with pay posted.
- 3
Westminster CO
$143k
- Median posted pay
- $147k
- State prices vs US average
- +3%
- Openings with pay posted
- 111
Hiring most here: CesiumAstro, BAE Systems, Loenbro
Based on 111 openings with pay posted.
- 4
Aurora CO
$139k
- Median posted pay
- $144k
- State prices vs US average
- +3%
- Openings with pay posted
- 66
Hiring most here: CACI International, Northrop Grumman, RTX
Based on 66 openings with pay posted.
- 5
Salt Lake City UT
$137k
- Median posted pay
- $135k
- State prices vs US average
- −1%
- Openings with pay posted
- 213
Hiring most here: L3HARRIS Technologies, iCapital, Harris Health Strategic Fund
Based on 213 openings with pay posted.
- 6
Denver CO
$133k
- Median posted pay
- $141k
- Local prices vs US average
- +6%
- Openings with pay posted
- 840
Hiring most here: True Anomaly, Blue Origin, Amazon
Based on 840 openings with pay posted.
- 7
Reno NV
$132k
- Median posted pay
- $132k
- State prices vs US average
- +0%
- Openings with pay posted
- 55
Hiring most here: IGT, Amperesand, Caesars Entertainment
Based on 55 openings with pay posted.
- 8
Boise ID
$131k
- Median posted pay
- $125k
- State prices vs US average
- −5%
- Openings with pay posted
- 70
Hiring most here: Simplot Company Foundation, Micron, Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories
Based on 70 openings with pay posted.
- 9
Englewood CO
$118k
- Median posted pay
- $121k
- State prices vs US average
- +3%
- Openings with pay posted
- 50
Hiring most here: General Atomics, Sargent & Lundy, Lockheed Martin
Based on 50 openings with pay posted.
- 10
Colorado Springs CO
$116k
- Median posted pay
- $120k
- State prices vs US average
- +3%
- Openings with pay posted
- 115
Hiring most here: Northrop Grumman, Trinzic, Odyssey Systems Consulting
Based on 115 openings with pay posted.
- 11
Las Vegas NV
$115k
- Median posted pay
- $115k
- Local prices vs US average
- +0%
- Openings with pay posted
- 146
Hiring most here: Caesars Entertainment, Allegiant Travel Company, Jt4
Based on 146 openings with pay posted.
Full ranking
All 11 cities that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.
| Rank | City | Score | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boulder CO | $144k | 143 |
| 2 | Broomfield CO | $144k | 63 |
| 3 | Westminster CO | $143k | 111 |
| 4 | Aurora CO | $139k | 66 |
| 5 | Salt Lake City UT | $137k | 213 |
| 6 | Denver CO | $133k | 840 |
| 7 | Reno NV | $132k | 55 |
| 8 | Boise ID | $131k | 70 |
| 9 | Englewood CO | $118k | 50 |
| 10 | Colorado Springs CO | $116k | 115 |
| 11 | Las Vegas NV | $115k | 146 |
How this ranking works
The score is a city's median posted annual salary (the midpoint of each posted range) divided by its local price level, with the United States at 100.
Price levels are the Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities for the city's metro area, or its state where no metro figure exists. Only cities with at least 50 listings that post a salary are ranked.
A city where one employer posts more than 50% of its openings is not ranked, so a single company cannot decide a city's score.
Sample bar: cities with fewer than 100 openings with pay posted are not ranked.
Sources: NextChapter job data: posted annual salary ranges; Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities 2024 (metro areas and states). Data as of November 2026.
Our job data covers professional roles on the career sites of employers we track, so figures describe that market, not every job. Spot an error? Tell us.
Questions
- Which city ranks first: best cities for pay after cost of living in the mountain west?
- Boulder leads the Mountain West for pay after the cost of living: its median posted salary buys what $144k buys at average US prices.
- How many cities are ranked?
- 11 cities have at least 100 openings with pay posted, so the list has 11 entries.
- How is the ranking calculated?
- The score is a city's median posted annual salary (the midpoint of each posted range) divided by its local price level, with the United States at 100. Price levels are the Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities for the city's metro area, or its state where no metro figure exists. Only cities with at least 50 listings that post a salary are ranked. A city where one employer posts more than 50% of its openings is not ranked, so a single company cannot decide a city's score.
- How often is it updated?
- Every month. This is the November 2026 edition. Older editions stay on this site at their own dated addresses.
More rankings
- Colleges with the highest earnings 10 years after enrolling in the Mountain West
- Best college towns for junior jobs in the Mountain West
- Cities with the most jobs that need no experience in the Mountain West
- Best cities for entry-level jobs that want AI skills in the Mountain West
- Cities with the most hybrid jobs in the Mountain West
- Cities with the most jobs that do not need a four-year degree in the Mountain West
- Best cities for pay after cost of living
- Best cities for pay after cost of living in California
- Best cities for pay after cost of living in Texas
- Best cities for pay after cost of living in Virginia
- Best cities for pay after cost of living in Massachusetts
- All rankings
Cite this ranking
NextChapter, “Best cities for pay after cost of living in the Mountain West,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-pay-vs-cost-of-living-in-the-mountain-west
Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-pay-vs-cost-of-living-in-the-mountain-west">Best cities for pay after cost of living in the Mountain West (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>
Download the data: CSV · JSON. Free to use with a link back.
The job market, once a week
One email every Tuesday with the week's most useful read on the job market and the search, plus occasional news from NextChapter. No account needed. Unsubscribe any time.
Applying and hearing nothing back?
Find out where you stand: your odds, the jobs that fit you and a plan for the week ahead. Free. No résumé needed.
Already a member? Log in
Run a workforce board, job center or economic development office, or hire in the places and industries on this list?
Leave your work email. We'll send how organizations use NextChapter to reach job seekers.