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COL-adjusted ranking

Best Cities for Chief Executivess by Take-Home Pay

The cities that pay Chief Executivess the most on paper aren't usually the best deals once rent and prices are factored in. Sioux City ranks first with a COL-adjusted equivalent of $261,400/year, better purchasing power than Cleveland's higher nominal pay of $239,130. San Francisco and New York dominate the headline salary lists for most occupations, but they don't crack the COL-adjusted top 10 here. The table below uses BLS OEWS May 2024 salary data and BEA Regional Price Parities.

Highest nominal pay

#1 Cleveland$239,130
#2 Kalamazoo-Portage$233,640
#3 Richmond$232,850

Best purchasing power

#1 Sioux City$261,400
#2 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island$261,013
#3 Cleveland$254,610

Top 25 metros by purchasing power

Ranked by COL-adjusted salary. Metros with fewer than 100 employed chief executivess excluded.

Rank
Metro
Nominal
COL-adj.
#1
Sioux City
6% rent burden
$225,980
$261,400
#2
$232,510
$261,013
#3
Cleveland
6% rent burden
$239,130
$254,610
#4
Kalamazoo-Portage
6% rent burden
$233,640
$246,352
#5
Roanoke
7% rent burden
$230,320
$246,016
#6
Peoria
6% rent burden
$220,430
$241,620
#7
Omaha
7% rent burden
$221,120
$240,583
#8
$226,660
$239,295
#9
Richmond
9% rent burden
$232,850
$237,942
#10
Savannah
9% rent burden
$225,950
$237,318
#11
Billings
8% rent burden
$220,590
$235,849
#12
Madison
6% rent burden
$228,960
$235,338
#13
$213,620
$232,955
#14
$220,960
$231,251
#15
Fargo
6% rent burden
$207,830
$228,711
#16
Kingsport-Bristol
6% rent burden
$196,520
$227,322
#17
Appleton
7% rent burden
$209,750
$226,953
#18
$228,640
$226,488
#19
Charleston
6% rent burden
$199,990
$225,417
#20
$214,170
$223,793
#21
Lincoln
7% rent burden
$204,570
$223,378
#22
Columbus
8% rent burden
$212,690
$222,782
#23
Pittsburgh
7% rent burden
$210,810
$222,679
#24
Cincinnati
8% rent burden
$212,290
$222,596
#25
St. Cloud
7% rent burden
$194,060
$221,454

COL-adjusted = nominal salary divided by (BEA RPP divided by 100). Rent burden = annual 2BR FMR as % of nominal salary. Sources: BLS OEWS May 2024, BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents.

Common questions

What does "COL-adjusted pay" mean for Chief Executivess?

COL-adjusted pay divides the BLS median salary by the BEA Regional Price Parity index (100 = national average). A salary of $239,130 in a city with RPP 120 has the same purchasing power as $199,275 at national average prices.

Why doesn't New York or San Francisco top this list?

Both cities pay above-average salaries, but rent and everyday costs eat most of that premium. A chief executives in New York might earn 30% more but pay 60-80% more in rent. The net result is often less purchasing power than mid-cost metros.

How is purchasing power calculated?

Purchasing power equals nominal median salary divided by (BEA RPP divided by 100). BEA's Regional Price Parities measure relative price levels across metro areas, updated annually from the National Income and Product Accounts.

What's the most affordable metro for Chief Executivess?

Sioux City has one of the lowest rent burdens for Chief Executivess in this dataset. HUD FMR for a 2-bedroom is $1,154/month, with a median salary of $225,980.

Where do Chief Executivess get paid the most in nominal terms?

Cleveland pays the highest nominal median salary at $239,130/year, per BLS OEWS May 2024. But check the COL-adjusted column before accepting any relocation offer.

National salary breakdown for Chief ExecutivessView →How to become a chief executivesGuide →Compare two cities side by sideCompare →