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COL-adjusted ranking

Best Cities for Court, Municipal, and License Clerkss by Take-Home Pay

The cities that pay Court, Municipal, and License Clerkss the most on paper aren't usually the best deals once rent and prices are factored in. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara ranks first with a COL-adjusted equivalent of $73,139/year, better purchasing power than San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara's higher nominal pay of $80,760. The table below uses BLS OEWS May 2024 salary data and BEA Regional Price Parities.

Highest nominal pay

#1 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara$80,760
#2 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont$77,730
#3 Santa Cruz-Watsonville$72,270

Best purchasing power

#1 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara$73,139
#2 Madison$72,094
#3 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont$67,235

Top 25 metros by purchasing power

Ranked by COL-adjusted salary. Metros with fewer than 100 employed court, municipal, and license clerkss excluded.

Rank
Metro
Nominal
COL-adj.
#1
$80,760
$73,139
#2
Madison
20% rent burden
$70,140
$72,094
#3
$77,730
$67,235
#4
Santa Cruz-Watsonville
70% rent burden
$72,270
$65,760
#5
Modesto
31% rent burden
$67,270
$64,614
#6
Barnstable Town
46% rent burden
$63,220
$64,281
#7
$68,550
$61,685
#8
St. Cloud
27% rent burden
$53,980
$61,600
#9
Kennewick-Richland
30% rent burden
$61,470
$61,421
#10
Rochester
30% rent burden
$55,700
$61,330
#11
Cedar Rapids
21% rent burden
$54,380
$61,129
#12
Redding
31% rent burden
$61,390
$60,975
#13
Mankato
25% rent burden
$55,290
$60,792
#14
$62,330
$60,662
#15
El Centro
28% rent burden
$57,530
$60,450
#16
Bellingham
34% rent burden
$62,460
$60,447
#17
Duluth
28% rent burden
$53,640
$60,426
#18
Buffalo-Cheektowaga
28% rent burden
$57,770
$60,278
#19
$55,100
$60,087
#20
Omaha
30% rent burden
$55,120
$59,972
#21
Lincoln
25% rent burden
$54,880
$59,926
#22
$59,890
$59,759
#23
Stockton-Lodi
33% rent burden
$62,680
$59,644
#24
Mount Vernon-Anacortes
34% rent burden
$60,910
$59,459
#25
Lexington Park
37% rent burden
$59,760
$59,309

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 Court, Municipal, and License Clerkss?

COL-adjusted pay divides the BLS median salary by the BEA Regional Price Parity index (100 = national average). A salary of $80,760 in a city with RPP 120 has the same purchasing power as $67,300 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 court, municipal, and license clerks 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 Court, Municipal, and License Clerkss?

Madison has one of the lowest rent burdens for Court, Municipal, and License Clerkss in this dataset. HUD FMR for a 2-bedroom is $1,168/month, with a median salary of $70,140.

Where do Court, Municipal, and License Clerkss get paid the most in nominal terms?

San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara pays the highest nominal median salary at $80,760/year, per BLS OEWS May 2024. But check the COL-adjusted column before accepting any relocation offer.

National salary breakdown for Court, Municipal, and License ClerkssView →How to become a court, municipal, and license clerksGuide →Compare two cities side by sideCompare →