Best cities for pay after cost of living in Massachusetts
Key facts
- #1 Watertown, MA: $193k
- #2 Cambridge, MA: $187k
- #3 Waltham, MA: $182k
- 9 cities ranked in Massachusetts
- Data as of November 2026
For comparison: $161k across the typical city in our data.
- 1Watertown MA$193k
- 2Cambridge MA$187k
- 3Waltham MA$182k
- 4Lexington MA$162k
- 5Boston MA$157k
- 6Somerville MA$155k
- 7Quincy MA$152k
- 8Burlington MA$140k
- 9Woburn MA$121k
What stands out
- Boston is the largest market in the top ten, with 1,622 openings with pay posted behind its figure.
- Cities with fewer than 100 openings with pay posted are not ranked, and small differences between neighbouring ranks are not meaningful.
Why this ranking matters
What it shows
A salary buys different amounts in different places. This list adjusts posted pay by the local price level, so it ranks what the pay is worth rather than the number on the posting.
How to use it
Use it to compare two offers or two cities. A lower headline salary in a cheaper place can leave you ahead of a higher one in an expensive metro.
The top 25
- 1
Watertown MA
$193k
- Median posted pay
- $205k
- State prices vs US average
- +6%
- Openings with pay posted
- 70
Hiring most here: Tutor Intelligence, Kymera Therapeutics, Treeline Biosciences
Based on 70 openings with pay posted.
- 2
Cambridge MA
$187k
- Median posted pay
- $198k
- State prices vs US average
- +6%
- Openings with pay posted
- 326
Hiring most here: Harvard University, Biogen, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals
Based on 326 openings with pay posted.
- 3
Waltham MA
$182k
- Median posted pay
- $193k
- State prices vs US average
- +6%
- Openings with pay posted
- 214
Hiring most here: Boston Dynamics, Anduril Industries, Xometry
Based on 214 openings with pay posted.
- 4
Lexington MA
$162k
- Median posted pay
- $172k
- State prices vs US average
- +6%
- Openings with pay posted
- 74
Hiring most here: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Lincoln Lab), Takeda Development Center Americas, Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals International
Based on 74 openings with pay posted.
- 5
Boston MA
$157k
- Median posted pay
- $170k
- Local prices vs US average
- +8%
- Openings with pay posted
- 1,622
Hiring most here: Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Confidential, Takeda Development Center Americas
Based on 1,622 openings with pay posted.
- 6
Somerville MA
$155k
- Median posted pay
- $164k
- State prices vs US average
- +6%
- Openings with pay posted
- 235
Hiring most here: Formlabs, Tulip Interfaces, Generate Biomedicines
Based on 235 openings with pay posted.
- 7
Quincy MA
$152k
- Median posted pay
- $161k
- State prices vs US average
- +6%
- Openings with pay posted
- 91
Hiring most here: Anduril Industries, Anduril, J.Jill
Based on 91 openings with pay posted.
- 8
Burlington MA
$140k
- Median posted pay
- $148k
- State prices vs US average
- +6%
- Openings with pay posted
- 66
Hiring most here: Veracode, Vericel, Tufts Medicine Care AT Home
Based on 66 openings with pay posted.
Full ranking
All 9 cities that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.
| Rank | City | Score | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Watertown MA | $193k | 70 |
| 2 | Cambridge MA | $187k | 326 |
| 3 | Waltham MA | $182k | 214 |
| 4 | Lexington MA | $162k | 74 |
| 5 | Boston MA | $157k | 1,622 |
| 6 | Somerville MA | $155k | 235 |
| 7 | Quincy MA | $152k | 91 |
| 8 | Burlington MA | $140k | 66 |
| 9 | Woburn MA | $121k | 54 |
How this ranking works
The score is a city's median posted annual salary (the midpoint of each posted range) divided by its local price level, with the United States at 100.
Price levels are the Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities for the city's metro area, or its state where no metro figure exists. Only cities with at least 50 listings that post a salary 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.
Sample bar: cities with fewer than 100 openings with pay posted are not ranked.
Sources: NextChapter job data: posted annual salary ranges; Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities 2024 (metro areas and states). Data as of November 2026.
Our job data covers professional roles on the career sites of employers we track, so figures describe that market, not every job. Spot an error? Tell us.
Questions
- Which city ranks first: best cities for pay after cost of living in massachusetts?
- Watertown leads Massachusetts for pay after the cost of living: its median posted salary buys what $193k buys at average US prices.
- How many cities are ranked?
- 9 cities have at least 100 openings with pay posted, so the list has 9 entries.
- How is the ranking calculated?
- The score is a city's median posted annual salary (the midpoint of each posted range) divided by its local price level, with the United States at 100. Price levels are the Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities for the city's metro area, or its state where no metro figure exists. Only cities with at least 50 listings that post a salary 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.
- How often is it updated?
- Every month. This is the November 2026 edition. Older editions stay on this site at their own dated addresses.
More rankings
- Colleges with the highest earnings 10 years after enrolling in Massachusetts
- Best cities for junior jobs in Massachusetts
- Best cities for pay after cost of living
- Best cities for pay after cost of living in the Northeast
- Best cities for pay after cost of living in New England
- Best cities for pay after cost of living in the Mid-Atlantic
- Best cities for pay after cost of living in the Southeast
- Best cities for pay after cost of living in the Southwest
- All rankings
Cite this ranking
NextChapter, “Best cities for pay after cost of living in Massachusetts,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-pay-vs-cost-of-living-in-massachusetts
Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-pay-vs-cost-of-living-in-massachusetts">Best cities for pay after cost of living in Massachusetts (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>
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