Best cities for pay after cost of living in the Southwest
Key facts
- #1 Austin, TX: $168k
- #2 Addison, TX: $155k
- #3 Plano, TX: $141k
- 15 cities ranked in the Southwest
- Data as of November 2026
For comparison: $131k across the typical city in our data.
What stands out
- The top ten is tightly packed: Austin leads on $168k, and #10 Tempe is at $124k.
- Austin is the largest market in the top ten, with 1,183 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
Austin TX
$168k
- Median posted pay
- $165k
- Local prices vs US average
- −2%
- Openings with pay posted
- 1,183
Hiring most here: Amazon, Advanced Micro Devices, Cloudflare
Based on 1,183 openings with pay posted.
- 2
Addison TX
$155k
- Median posted pay
- $150k
- State prices vs US average
- −3%
- Openings with pay posted
- 90
Hiring most here: National Life Group, National Life Insurance Company, Bank of America
Based on 90 openings with pay posted.
- 3
Plano TX
$141k
- Median posted pay
- $137k
- State prices vs US average
- −3%
- Openings with pay posted
- 77
Hiring most here: NTT Data, Pepsico, JPMorgan Chase
Based on 77 openings with pay posted.
- 4
Dallas TX
$138k
- Median posted pay
- $143k
- Local prices vs US average
- +3%
- Openings with pay posted
- 750
Hiring most here: Amazon, Shield AI, Texas Instruments
Based on 750 openings with pay posted.
- 5
Irving TX
$138k
- Median posted pay
- $134k
- State prices vs US average
- −3%
- Openings with pay posted
- 112
Hiring most here: Mckesson, CHRISTUS Health, 7-Eleven
Based on 112 openings with pay posted.
- 6
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.
- 7
Houston TX
$127k
- Median posted pay
- $125k
- Local prices vs US average
- −1%
- Openings with pay posted
- 436
Hiring most here: Axiom Space, Fervo Energy, Trinzic
Based on 436 openings with pay posted.
- 9
Scottsdale AZ
$124k
- Median posted pay
- $125k
- State prices vs US average
- +1%
- Openings with pay posted
- 100
Hiring most here: General Dynamics Mission Systems, Axon Enterprise, AMI Semiconductor
Based on 100 openings with pay posted.
- 11
San Antonio TX
$123k
- Median posted pay
- $116k
- Local prices vs US average
- −5%
- Openings with pay posted
- 146
Hiring most here: H-E-B, University Health San Antonio, UT Health San Antonio
Based on 146 openings with pay posted.
- 12
Oklahoma City OK
$123k
- Median posted pay
- $108k
- State prices vs US average
- −12%
- Openings with pay posted
- 58
Hiring most here: Love's Travel Stops, CACI International, Northrop Grumman
Based on 58 openings with pay posted.
- 13
Phoenix AZ
$116k
- Median posted pay
- $120k
- Local prices vs US average
- +3%
- Openings with pay posted
- 331
Hiring most here: Honeywell Aerospace, State of Arizona, American Society for Microbiology
Based on 331 openings with pay posted.
- 14
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.
- 15
Fort Worth TX
$112k
- Median posted pay
- $115k
- Local prices vs US average
- +3%
- Openings with pay posted
- 149
Hiring most here: Lockheed Martin, Lockheed Martin Services, MP Materials
Based on 149 openings with pay posted.
Full ranking
All 15 cities that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.
| Rank | City | Score | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Austin TX | $168k | 1,183 |
| 2 | Addison TX | $155k | 90 |
| 3 | Plano TX | $141k | 77 |
| 4 | Dallas TX | $138k | 750 |
| 5 | Irving TX | $138k | 112 |
| 6 | Reno NV | $132k | 55 |
| 7 | Houston TX | $127k | 436 |
| 8 | Tucson AZ | $125k | 75 |
| 9 | Scottsdale AZ | $124k | 100 |
| 10 | Tempe AZ | $124k | 66 |
| 11 | San Antonio TX | $123k | 146 |
| 12 | Oklahoma City OK | $123k | 58 |
| 13 | Phoenix AZ | $116k | 331 |
| 14 | Las Vegas NV | $115k | 146 |
| 15 | Fort Worth TX | $112k | 149 |
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 southwest?
- Austin leads the Southwest for pay after the cost of living: its median posted salary buys what $168k buys at average US prices.
- How many cities are ranked?
- 15 cities have at least 100 openings with pay posted, so the list has 15 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 Southwest
- Best college towns for junior jobs in the Southwest
- Cities with the most jobs that need no experience in the Southwest
- Best cities for entry-level jobs that want AI skills in the Southwest
- Cities with the most hybrid jobs in the Southwest
- Cities with the most jobs that do not need a four-year degree in the Southwest
- 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 Southwest,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-pay-vs-cost-of-living-in-the-southwest
Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-pay-vs-cost-of-living-in-the-southwest">Best cities for pay after cost of living in the Southwest (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>
Download the data: CSV · JSON. Free to use with a link back.
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