{"h1":"Best all-round cities for AI careers in the Southeast","faq":[{"a":"McLean is the best all-round city for AI careers in the Southeast, with a score of 90 / 100.","q":"Which city ranks first: best all-round cities for ai careers in the southeast?"},{"a":"29 cities have at least 100 openings, so the list has 29 entries.","q":"How many cities are ranked?"},{"a":"A city's score is the weighted average of its percentile rank on each measure among the ranked cities (100 is first, 0 is last): ai-skill share of openings 35%, ai-skill openings 30%, median posted pay 20%, pay after cost of living 15%. A score of 100 would mean first on every measure and 50 is the middle of the pack. The measures and weights are fixed in advance and shown here; they are a judgment about what matters to this reader, so use the single-measure rankings when one thing matters most. Only cities with enough openings and pay data 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.","q":"How is the ranking calculated?"},{"a":"Every month. This is the November 2026 edition. Older editions stay on this site at their own dated addresses.","q":"How often is it updated?"}],"lead":"McLean is the best all-round city for AI careers in the Southeast, with a score of 90 / 100.","minN":100,"rows":[{"n":1155,"bar":1,"key":"VA|mclean","sub":"VA","href":"/places/virginia/city/mclean","name":"McLean","rank":1,"stats":[{"label":"AI-skill share of openings","value":"18%"},{"label":"AI-skill openings","value":"203"},{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$150k"}],"value":90,"change":null,"employers":["Capital One","The MITRE","Steampunk"],"valueLabel":"90 / 100"},{"n":1989,"bar":0.9702380952380953,"key":"VA|arlington","sub":"VA","href":"/places/virginia/city/arlington","name":"Arlington","rank":2,"stats":[{"label":"AI-skill share of openings","value":"14%"},{"label":"AI-skill openings","value":"279"},{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$145k"}],"value":87.32142857142858,"change":null,"employers":["Amazon","AWS","Bloomberg Industry Group"],"valueLabel":"87 / 100"},{"n":783,"bar":0.9702380952380952,"key":"VA|reston","sub":"VA","href":"/places/virginia/city/reston","name":"Reston","rank":3,"stats":[{"label":"AI-skill share of openings","value":"17%"},{"label":"AI-skill openings","value":"131"},{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$159k"}],"value":87.32142857142857,"change":null,"employers":["ICF International","CACI International","Anduril Industries"],"valueLabel":"87 / 100"},{"n":821,"bar":0.9444444444444444,"key":"VA|herndon","sub":"VA","href":"/places/virginia/city/herndon","name":"Herndon","rank":4,"stats":[{"label":"AI-skill share of openings","value":"13%"},{"label":"AI-skill openings","value":"109"},{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$161k"}],"value":85,"change":null,"employers":["Amazon","AWS","Peraton"],"valueLabel":"85 / 100"},{"n":5566,"bar":0.9047619047619048,"key":"GA|atlanta","sub":"GA","href":"/places/georgia/city/atlanta","name":"Atlanta","rank":5,"stats":[{"label":"AI-skill share of openings","value":"13%"},{"label":"AI-skill openings","value":"701"},{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$135k"}],"value":81.42857142857143,"change":null,"employers":["Emory University","Oxford College of Emory University","Capgemini Invent"],"valueLabel":"81 / 100"},{"n":555,"bar":0.8313492063492063,"key":"VA|chantilly","sub":"VA","href":"/places/virginia/city/chantilly","name":"Chantilly","rank":6,"stats":[{"label":"AI-skill share of openings","value":"10%"},{"label":"AI-skill openings","value":"54"},{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$194k"}],"value":74.82142857142857,"change":null,"employers":["CACI International","Trinzic","Peraton"],"valueLabel":"75 / 100"},{"n":1650,"bar":0.7460317460317459,"key":"TN|nashville","sub":"TN","href":null,"name":"Nashville","rank":7,"stats":[{"label":"AI-skill share of openings","value":"8%"},{"label":"AI-skill openings","value":"140"},{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$133k"}],"value":67.14285714285714,"change":null,"employers":["Oracle","Amazon","Vanderbilt University"],"valueLabel":"67 / 100"},{"n":3198,"bar":0.7222222222222222,"key":"NC|charlotte","sub":"NC","href":"/places/north-carolina/city/charlotte","name":"Charlotte","rank":8,"stats":[{"label":"AI-skill share of openings","value":"9%"},{"label":"AI-skill openings","value":"294"},{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$121k"}],"value":65,"change":null,"employers":["Truist Financial","Scout Motors","SMBC Americas"],"valueLabel":"65 / 100"},{"n":2344,"bar":0.6964285714285713,"key":"FL|miami","sub":"FL","href":"/places/florida/city/miami","name":"Miami","rank":9,"stats":[{"label":"AI-skill share of openings","value":"8%"},{"label":"AI-skill openings","value":"185"},{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$134k"}],"value":62.67857142857142,"change":null,"employers":["University Of Miami","Royal Caribbean Cruises","Princess Cruises / Holland America Line"],"valueLabel":"63 / 100"},{"n":190,"bar":0.6884920634920634,"key":"VA|tysons","sub":"VA","href":"/places/virginia/city/tysons","name":"Tysons","rank":10,"stats":[{"label":"AI-skill share of openings","value":"20%"},{"label":"AI-skill openings","value":"38"},{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$126k"}],"value":61.96428571428571,"change":null,"employers":["M.C. Dean","Alarm.com Holdings","LMI"],"valueLabel":"62 / 100"},{"n":576,"bar":0.6765873015873016,"key":"GA|alpharetta","sub":"GA","href":"/places/georgia/city/alpharetta","name":"Alpharetta","rank":11,"stats":[{"label":"AI-skill share of openings","value":"12%"},{"label":"AI-skill openings","value":"68"},{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$125k"}],"value":60.89285714285715,"change":null,"employers":["Morgan Stanley","Fiserv","Landis+Gyr"],"valueLabel":"61 / 100"},{"n":234,"bar":0.636904761904762,"key":"VA|mc lean","sub":"VA","href":null,"name":"Mc Lean","rank":12,"stats":[{"label":"AI-skill share of openings","value":"8%"},{"label":"AI-skill openings","value":"18"},{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$163k"}],"value":57.32142857142858,"change":null,"employers":["Capital One","Booz Allen Hamilton","Sunrise Senior Living"],"valueLabel":"57 / 100"},{"n":1154,"bar":0.6031746031746031,"key":"AL|huntsville","sub":"AL","href":"/places/alabama/city/huntsville","name":"Huntsville","rank":13,"stats":[{"label":"AI-skill share of openings","value":"6%"},{"label":"AI-skill openings","value":"66"},{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$137k"}],"value":54.28571428571428,"change":null,"employers":["L3HARRIS Technologies","Northrop Grumman","Blue Origin"],"valueLabel":"54 / 100"},{"n":1427,"bar":0.5634920634920636,"key":"NC|raleigh","sub":"NC","href":"/places/north-carolina/city/raleigh","name":"Raleigh","rank":14,"stats":[{"label":"AI-skill share of openings","value":"7%"},{"label":"AI-skill openings","value":"106"},{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$114k"}],"value":50.71428571428572,"change":null,"employers":["First Citizens Bank","Dewberry","MaintainX"],"valueLabel":"51 / 100"},{"n":163,"bar":0.5575396825396826,"key":"VA|vienna","sub":"VA","href":"/places/virginia/city/vienna","name":"Vienna","rank":15,"stats":[{"label":"AI-skill 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pay","value":"$131k"}],"value":40.71428571428572,"change":null,"employers":["CACI International","Caci Technologies","HII Mission Technologies"],"valueLabel":"41 / 100"},{"n":197,"bar":0.4265873015873016,"key":"VA|fort belvoir","sub":"VA","href":"/places/virginia/city/fort-belvoir","name":"Fort Belvoir","rank":18,"stats":[{"label":"AI-skill share of openings","value":"7%"},{"label":"AI-skill openings","value":"13"},{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$135k"}],"value":38.39285714285715,"change":null,"employers":["CACI International","Teksynap","LMI"],"valueLabel":"38 / 100"},{"n":1738,"bar":0.4126984126984127,"key":"FL|tampa","sub":"FL","href":"/places/florida/city/tampa","name":"Tampa","rank":19,"stats":[{"label":"AI-skill share of openings","value":"6%"},{"label":"AI-skill openings","value":"100"},{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$101k"}],"value":37.14285714285715,"change":null,"employers":["DTCC","University of South Florida","Tampa Electric"],"valueLabel":"37 / 100"},{"n":1071,"bar":0.4057539682539684,"key":"FL|jacksonville","sub":"FL","href":"/places/florida/city/jacksonville","name":"Jacksonville","rank":20,"stats":[{"label":"AI-skill share of openings","value":"7%"},{"label":"AI-skill openings","value":"74"},{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$100k"}],"value":36.51785714285715,"change":null,"employers":["Confidential","Intercontinental Exchange","UF Health"],"valueLabel":"37 / 100"},{"n":344,"bar":0.3908730158730159,"key":"FL|boca raton","sub":"FL","href":"/places/florida/city/boca-raton","name":"Boca Raton","rank":21,"stats":[{"label":"AI-skill share of openings","value":"10%"},{"label":"AI-skill openings","value":"34"},{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$95k"}],"value":35.17857142857143,"change":null,"employers":["Compass","Baptist Health South Florida","SBA Communications"],"valueLabel":"35 / 100"},{"n":231,"bar":0.3134920634920635,"key":"VA|manassas","sub":"VA","href":"/places/virginia/city/manassas","name":"Manassas","rank":22,"stats":[{"label":"AI-skill share of openings","value":"2%"},{"label":"AI-skill openings","value":"5"},{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$137k"}],"value":28.21428571428572,"change":null,"employers":["General Dynamics Mission Systems","Electra.Aero","Holder Construction"],"valueLabel":"28 / 100"},{"n":1136,"bar":0.2976190476190476,"key":"VA|richmond","sub":"VA","href":"/places/virginia/city/richmond","name":"Richmond","rank":23,"stats":[{"label":"AI-skill share of openings","value":"5%"},{"label":"AI-skill openings","value":"52"},{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$100k"}],"value":26.78571428571428,"change":null,"employers":["Mckesson","Capital One","Genworth Financial"],"valueLabel":"27 / 100"},{"n":2064,"bar":0.2638888888888889,"key":"KY|louisville","sub":"KY","href":"/places/kentucky/city/louisville","name":"Louisville","rank":24,"stats":[{"label":"AI-skill share of openings","value":"2%"},{"label":"AI-skill openings","value":"44"},{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$104k"}],"value":23.75,"change":null,"employers":["BrightSpring Health Services","Norton Healthcare","GE Appliances"],"valueLabel":"24 / 100"},{"n":1272,"bar":0.2619047619047619,"key":"FL|orlando","sub":"FL","href":"/places/florida/city/orlando","name":"Orlando","rank":25,"stats":[{"label":"AI-skill share of openings","value":"3%"},{"label":"AI-skill openings","value":"41"},{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$101k"}],"value":23.57142857142857,"change":null,"employers":["Lockheed Martin","Lockheed Martin Services","Sikorsky Aircraft"],"valueLabel":"24 / 100"},{"n":759,"bar":0.2420634920634921,"key":"FL|tallahassee","sub":"FL","href":"/places/florida/city/tallahassee","name":"Tallahassee","rank":26,"stats":[{"label":"AI-skill share of openings","value":"3%"},{"label":"AI-skill openings","value":"23"},{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$109k"}],"value":21.78571428571429,"change":null,"employers":["State of Florida","L3HARRIS Technologies","Florida"],"valueLabel":"22 / 100"},{"n":153,"bar":0.2162698412698413,"key":"KY|frankfort","sub":"KY","href":"/places/kentucky/city/frankfort","name":"Frankfort","rank":27,"stats":[{"label":"AI-skill share of openings","value":"1%"},{"label":"AI-skill openings","value":"1"},{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$125k"}],"value":19.46428571428572,"change":null,"employers":["Lumen","Oracle","Sazerac"],"valueLabel":"19 / 100"},{"n":332,"bar":0.1984126984126984,"key":"VA|norfolk","sub":"VA","href":"/places/virginia/city/norfolk","name":"Norfolk","rank":28,"stats":[{"label":"AI-skill share of openings","value":"4%"},{"label":"AI-skill openings","value":"12"},{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$104k"}],"value":17.85714285714286,"change":null,"employers":["Commonwealth of Virginia","Seacorp","United States Fleet Forces Command"],"valueLabel":"18 / 100"},{"n":572,"bar":0.1716269841269842,"key":"FL|fort lauderdale","sub":"FL","href":"/places/florida/city/fort-lauderdale","name":"Fort Lauderdale","rank":29,"stats":[{"label":"AI-skill share of openings","value":"3%"},{"label":"AI-skill openings","value":"19"},{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$100k"}],"value":15.44642857142857,"change":null,"employers":["North Broward Hospital District (Broward Health)","Autonation","Town & Country Credit Union"],"valueLabel":"15 / 100"}],"slug":"best-all-round-cities-for-ai-careers-in-the-southeast","unit":"openings","scope":{"id":"southeast","kind":"region","name":"Southeast"},"title":"Best all-round cities for AI careers in the Southeast","family":"Best overall","method":["A city's score is the weighted average of its percentile rank on each measure among the ranked cities (100 is first, 0 is last): ai-skill share of openings 35%, ai-skill openings 30%, median posted pay 20%, pay after cost of living 15%.","A score of 100 would mean first on every measure and 50 is the middle of the pack. The measures and weights are fixed in advance and shown here; they are a judgment about what matters to this reader, so use the single-measure rankings when one thing matters most.","Only cities with enough openings and pay data 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."],"builtAt":"2026-11-03T03:50:28.595Z","edition":"2026-11","measure":"cai","sources":["NextChapter job data: open professional roles and posted pay","Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities 2024"],"baseline":null,"keyFacts":["#1 McLean, VA: 90 / 100","#2 Arlington, VA: 87 / 100","#3 Reston, VA: 87 / 100","29 cities ranked in the Southeast","Data as of November 2026"],"placeNoun":"cities","commentary":["The top ten is tightly packed: McLean leads on 90 / 100, and #10 Tysons is at 62 / 100.","Tysons reaches #10 on a sample of 190 openings, a smaller market than most of the top ten, so its rank can move more from month to month.","Atlanta is the largest market in the top ten, with 5,566 openings behind its figure.","Cities with fewer than 100 openings are not ranked, and small differences between neighbouring ranks are not meaningful."],"license":"Free to use and share with a link to https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-all-round-cities-for-ai-careers-in-the-southeast"}