20 metros leave you better off than Denver

Physician earning $253,500 in Denver, CO. One adult, renting a 1-bedroom. You keep $10,981 a month today.

Your best overall match

Seattle, WA

+$2,325/mo (+$27,900 a year) versus Denver

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Every city gets measured against this one.

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Left blank, so we use the local median for this job.

Your pay moves with the local market for your job.

Rent is priced at the bedroom count you need in each metro.

0

Suggested for your household.

What matters to you?

1 means leave it out of the ranking, 5 means it decides the ranking.

5 Deal-breaker

What is left after tax, rent and the month's bills.

2 A little

Sunshine, and summers and winters that are not extreme.

2 A little

Population and density, rather than small-town scale.

Every metro on the map

Coloured by this ranking. Click a dot for the city page; right-click or long-press to compare, set home, zoom or copy a link.

SeattleSan FranciscoMidlandAustinWashingtonManchesterDenverNashvilleJacksonvilleBismarck
Best fitMiddle thirdWeakest fitWhere you live now · $10,981/moDot size is population. 383 metros in the 48 states; 4 outside the frame. Best best fit: Seattle, WA. Right-click or long-press for actions.

1

Seattle, WA

No state income tax and high wages, offset by home prices and 150 sunny days.

No state income taxCar optional

Left over monthly

$13,306

+$2,325 vs today

Local pay
$286,981
Rent (1br)
$1,761/mo
Take-home
$17,198/mo
Everything else
$2,131/mo
Money left over
100
Sun and mild weather
49
Being in a big city
82
2

San Francisco, CA

Dense, walkable, cold in July, and priced for two incomes.

Car optional

Left over monthly

$11,771

+$790 vs today

Local pay
$320,462
Rent (1br)
$2,609/mo
Take-home
$16,794/mo
Everything else
$2,414/mo
Money left over
76
Sun and mild weather
86
Being in a big city
92
3

Midland, TX

No state income tax, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $1,516 and 263 sunny days; commutes average 22 minutes.

No state income tax263 sunny days22-min commute

Left over monthly

$12,511

+$1,530 vs today

Local pay
$258,044
Rent (1br)
$1,273/mo
Take-home
$15,669/mo
Everything else
$1,885/mo
Money left over
87
Sun and mild weather
78
Being in a big city
34
4

Austin, TX

No income tax, but property taxes are among the steepest anywhere.

No state income tax

Left over monthly

$11,916

+$935 vs today

Local pay
$248,717
Rent (1br)
$1,226/mo
Take-home
$15,158/mo
Everything else
$2,016/mo
Money left over
78
Sun and mild weather
66
Being in a big city
80
5

Washington, DC

Recession-resistant government and consulting pay, humid summers, real transit.

Car optional

Left over monthly

$11,770

+$789 vs today

Local pay
$296,547
Rent (1br)
$1,929/mo
Take-home
$15,801/mo
Everything else
$2,102/mo
Money left over
76
Sun and mild weather
67
Being in a big city
86
6

Houston, TX

The cheapest housing of any top-10 metro, paid for in property tax and humidity.

No state income tax

Left over monthly

$11,748

+$767 vs today

Local pay
$243,934
Rent (1br)
$1,199/mo
Take-home
$14,897/mo
Everything else
$1,950/mo
Money left over
75
Sun and mild weather
63
Being in a big city
76
7

Dallas, TX

No income tax, endless new construction, and a 1.5% property tax bill.

No state income tax

Left over monthly

$11,633

+$652 vs today

Local pay
$243,934
Rent (1br)
$1,263/mo
Take-home
$14,897/mo
Everything else
$2,001/mo
Money left over
73
Sun and mild weather
70
Being in a big city
76
8

Lexington Park, MD

State income tax topping out at 5.75%, a median 2-bedroom estimated asking rent of $1,896 and 216 sunny days; commutes average 35 minutes.

Left over monthly

$12,153

+$1,172 vs today

Local pay
$298,460
Rent (1br)
$1,593/mo
Take-home
$15,768/mo
Everything else
$2,022/mo
Money left over
82
Sun and mild weather
71
Being in a big city
39
9

San Jose, CA

The highest salaries in the country, almost entirely cancelled out by the highest rents.

Left over monthly

$11,443

+$462 vs today

Local pay
$325,245
Rent (1br)
$2,990/mo
Take-home
$17,006/mo
Everything else
$2,573/mo
Money left over
70
Sun and mild weather
85
Being in a big city
62
10

Manchester, NH

No state income tax, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $2,139 and 187 sunny days; commutes average 27 minutes.

No state income tax

Left over monthly

$11,844

+$863 vs today

Local pay
$258,522
Rent (1br)
$1,797/mo
Take-home
$15,695/mo
Everything else
$2,054/mo
Money left over
77
Sun and mild weather
58
Being in a big city
49
11

Denver, CO

Mountains in an hour, 245 sunny days, and a flat 4.4% state tax.

Where you live now

Left over monthly

$10,981

Local pay
$253,500
Rent (1br)
$1,490/mo
Take-home
$14,544/mo
Everything else
$2,073/mo
Money left over
63
Sun and mild weather
72
Being in a big city
76
12

Bremerton, WA

No state income tax, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $1,919 and 154 sunny days; commutes average 30 minutes.

No state income tax

Left over monthly

$11,733

+$752 vs today

Local pay
$253,261
Rent (1br)
$1,612/mo
Take-home
$15,407/mo
Everything else
$2,062/mo
Money left over
75
Sun and mild weather
50
Being in a big city
47
13

Nashville, TN

No income tax and a real music and healthcare economy; traffic is the tax.

No state income tax

Left over monthly

$10,878

−$103 vs today

Local pay
$231,976
Rent (1br)
$1,399/mo
Take-home
$14,243/mo
Everything else
$1,966/mo
Money left over
61
Sun and mild weather
68
Being in a big city
78
14

Boston, MA

Great pay in medicine and research, brutal winters, tight housing stock.

Car optional

Left over monthly

$10,815

−$166 vs today

Local pay
$277,415
Rent (1br)
$2,619/mo
Take-home
$15,561/mo
Everything else
$2,127/mo
Money left over
60
Sun and mild weather
62
Being in a big city
88
15

Olympia, WA

No state income tax, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $1,875 and 156 sunny days; commutes average 26 minutes.

No state income tax

Left over monthly

$11,642

+$661 vs today

Local pay
$251,587
Rent (1br)
$1,575/mo
Take-home
$15,315/mo
Everything else
$2,098/mo
Money left over
73
Sun and mild weather
51
Being in a big city
44
16

Anchorage, AK

No state income tax, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $1,602 and 138 sunny days; commutes average 23 minutes.

No state income tax

Left over monthly

$11,599

+$618 vs today

Local pay
$250,152
Rent (1br)
$1,346/mo
Take-home
$15,237/mo
Everything else
$2,292/mo
Money left over
73
Sun and mild weather
45
Being in a big city
50
17

Odessa, TX

No state income tax, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $1,398 and 269 sunny days; commutes average 25 minutes.

No state income tax269 sunny days

Left over monthly

$11,432

+$451 vs today

Local pay
$236,520
Rent (1br)
$1,174/mo
Take-home
$14,491/mo
Everything else
$1,885/mo
Money left over
70
Sun and mild weather
80
Being in a big city
25
18

Jacksonville, FL

No state income tax, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $1,531 and 245 sunny days; commutes average 26 minutes.

No state income tax

Left over monthly

$10,752

−$229 vs today

Local pay
$226,715
Rent (1br)
$1,286/mo
Take-home
$13,955/mo
Everything else
$1,917/mo
Money left over
59
Sun and mild weather
81
Being in a big city
62
19

Bismarck, ND

State income tax topping out at 2.5%, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $1,298 and 196 sunny days; commutes average 18 minutes.

18-min commute

Left over monthly

$11,665

+$684 vs today

Local pay
$242,977
Rent (1br)
$1,090/mo
Take-home
$14,552/mo
Everything else
$1,797/mo
Money left over
74
Sun and mild weather
47
Being in a big city
35
20

Chicago, IL

World-class city amenities at Midwest home prices, funded by 2.1% property tax.

Car optional

Left over monthly

$10,566

−$415 vs today

Local pay
$251,108
Rent (1br)
$1,828/mo
Take-home
$14,265/mo
Everything else
$1,871/mo
Money left over
56
Sun and mild weather
55
Being in a big city
94
Show the remaining 367 metros

Showing the top 20 of 387 by best fit for you.

Rent is Zillow's asking rent for each metro; taxes and living costs are modelled. Every figure is an estimate, not a quote. See exactly how it's calculated.