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COL-adjusted ranking

Best Cities for Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other by Take-Home Pay

The cities that pay Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other the most on paper aren't usually the best deals once rent and prices are factored in. Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard ranks first with a COL-adjusted equivalent of $76,120/year, better purchasing power than Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard's higher nominal pay of $80,390. 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 2025 salary data and BEA Regional Price Parities.

Highest nominal pay

#1 Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard$80,390
#2 Urban Honolulu$77,560
#3 Hattiesburg$66,410

Best purchasing power

#1 Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard$76,120
#2 Hattiesburg$75,785
#3 Alexandria$73,579

Top 25 metros by purchasing power

Ranked by COL-adjusted salary. Metros with fewer than 100 employed installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other excluded.

Rank
Metro
Nominal
COL-adj.
#1
$80,390
$76,120
#2
Hattiesburg
24% rent burden
$66,410
$75,785
#3
Alexandria
19% rent burden
$63,050
$73,579
#4
Urban Honolulu
39% rent burden
$77,560
$69,899
#5
Pueblo
24% rent burden
$63,840
$69,573
#6
Jackson
28% rent burden
$58,950
$68,931
#7
Anniston-Oxford
21% rent burden
$58,610
$68,191
#8
Fayetteville
29% rent burden
$61,440
$66,797
#9
Lake Charles
26% rent burden
$55,940
$65,160
#10
$64,500
$63,322
#11
Jefferson City
21% rent burden
$55,080
$62,612
#12
Huntington-Ashland
22% rent burden
$55,200
$62,429
#13
Rockford
25% rent burden
$57,200
$62,073
#14
Peoria
26% rent burden
$56,230
$61,635
#15
Montgomery
25% rent burden
$55,060
$61,396
#16
Lewiston-Auburn
35% rent burden
$58,010
$61,231
#17
Worcester
39% rent burden
$62,760
$61,217
#18
Springfield
26% rent burden
$56,540
$60,960
#19
New Orleans-Metairie
32% rent burden
$56,160
$60,648
#20
Baton Rouge
25% rent burden
$55,050
$60,641
#21
Bangor
31% rent burden
$57,940
$60,035
#22
Columbus
27% rent burden
$53,180
$59,552
#23
Fort Smith
23% rent burden
$51,030
$59,413
#24
Bismarck
24% rent burden
$53,970
$59,295
#25
St. Louis
29% rent burden
$55,960
$58,850

COL-adjusted = nominal salary divided by (BEA RPP divided by 100). Rent burden = annual 2BR FMR as % of nominal salary. Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025, BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents.

Common questions

What does "COL-adjusted pay" mean for Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other?

COL-adjusted pay divides the BLS median salary by the BEA Regional Price Parity index (100 = national average). A salary of $80,390 in a city with RPP 120 has the same purchasing power as $66,992 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 installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other 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 Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other?

Alexandria has one of the lowest rent burdens for Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other in this dataset. HUD FMR for a 2-bedroom is $995/month, with a median salary of $63,050.

Where do Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other get paid the most in nominal terms?

Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard pays the highest nominal median salary at $80,390/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. But check the COL-adjusted column before accepting any relocation offer.

National salary breakdown for Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All OtherView →How to become a installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all otherGuide →Compare two cities side by sideCompare →