{"h1":"Best cities for pay after cost of living in the Mid-Atlantic","faq":[{"a":"Chantilly leads the Mid-Atlantic for pay after the cost of living: its median posted salary buys what $192k buys at average US prices.","q":"Which city ranks first: best cities for pay after cost of living in the mid-atlantic?"},{"a":"32 cities have at least 100 openings with pay posted, so the list has 32 entries.","q":"How many cities are ranked?"},{"a":"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.","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":"Chantilly leads the Mid-Atlantic for pay after the cost of living: its median posted salary buys what $192k buys at average US prices.","minN":100,"rows":[{"n":54,"key":"VA|chantilly","sub":"VA","href":"/places/virginia/city/chantilly","name":"Chantilly","rank":1,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$194k"},{"label":"State prices vs US average","value":"+1%"},{"label":"Openings with pay posted","value":"54"}],"value":191889.2185954501,"change":null,"employers":["CACI International","Trinzic","Peraton"],"valueLabel":"$192k"},{"n":91,"key":"NJ|princeton","sub":"NJ","href":"/places/new-jersey/city/princeton","name":"Princeton","rank":2,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$178k"},{"label":"State prices vs US average","value":"+9%"},{"label":"Openings with pay posted","value":"91"}],"value":163924.6323529412,"change":null,"employers":["Genmab A/S","Otsuka","ZS Associates"],"valueLabel":"$164k"},{"n":68,"key":"VA|mc lean","sub":"VA","href":null,"name":"Mc Lean","rank":3,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$163k"},{"label":"State prices vs US average","value":"+1%"},{"label":"Openings with pay posted","value":"68"}],"value":160880.3165182987,"change":null,"employers":["Capital One","Booz Allen Hamilton","Sunrise Senior Living"],"valueLabel":"$161k"},{"n":153,"key":"VA|herndon","sub":"VA","href":"/places/virginia/city/herndon","name":"Herndon","rank":4,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$161k"},{"label":"State prices vs US average","value":"+1%"},{"label":"Openings with pay posted","value":"153"}],"value":158951.5331355094,"change":null,"employers":["Amazon","AWS","Peraton"],"valueLabel":"$159k"},{"n":165,"key":"VA|reston","sub":"VA","href":"/places/virginia/city/reston","name":"Reston","rank":5,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$160k"},{"label":"State prices vs US average","value":"+1%"},{"label":"Openings 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with pay posted","value":"73"}],"value":142463.2352941177,"change":null,"employers":["DTCC","Verisk Analytics","JPMorgan Chase"],"valueLabel":"$142k"},{"n":83,"key":"MD|rockville","sub":"MD","href":"/places/maryland/city/rockville","name":"Rockville","rank":11,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$149k"},{"label":"State prices vs US average","value":"+5%"},{"label":"Openings with pay posted","value":"83"}],"value":141823.8095238095,"change":null,"employers":["Financial Industry Regulatory Authority","The Emmes Company","BAE Systems"],"valueLabel":"$142k"},{"n":84,"key":"MD|fort meade","sub":"MD","href":"/places/maryland/city/fort-meade","name":"Fort Meade","rank":12,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$149k"},{"label":"State prices vs US average","value":"+5%"},{"label":"Openings with pay posted","value":"84"}],"value":141666.6666666667,"change":null,"employers":["Peraton","CACI International","Grvty"],"valueLabel":"$142k"},{"n":144,"key":"VA|alexandria","sub":"VA","href":"/places/virginia/city/alexandria","name":"Alexandria","rank":13,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$140k"},{"label":"State prices vs US average","value":"+1%"},{"label":"Openings with pay posted","value":"144"}],"value":138529.6735905045,"change":null,"employers":["Kearney","Patent and Trademark Office","Analytic Services (ANSER)"],"valueLabel":"$139k"},{"n":54,"key":"VA|manassas","sub":"VA","href":"/places/virginia/city/manassas","name":"Manassas","rank":14,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$139k"},{"label":"State prices vs US average","value":"+1%"},{"label":"Openings with pay posted","value":"54"}],"value":136993.0761622156,"change":null,"employers":["General Dynamics Mission Systems","Electra.Aero","Holder Construction"],"valueLabel":"$137k"},{"n":89,"key":"MD|bethesda","sub":"MD","href":"/places/maryland/city/bethesda","name":"Bethesda","rank":15,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$143k"},{"label":"State prices vs US average","value":"+5%"},{"label":"Openings with pay posted","value":"89"}],"value":135714.2857142857,"change":null,"employers":["Black Canyon Consulting","ZoomInfo","Leidos"],"valueLabel":"$136k"},{"n":64,"key":"VA|fort belvoir","sub":"VA","href":"/places/virginia/city/fort-belvoir","name":"Fort Belvoir","rank":16,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$135k"},{"label":"State prices vs US average","value":"+1%"},{"label":"Openings with pay posted","value":"64"}],"value":133135.509396637,"change":null,"employers":["CACI International","Teksynap","LMI"],"valueLabel":"$133k"},{"n":91,"key":"VA|vienna","sub":"VA","href":"/places/virginia/city/vienna","name":"Vienna","rank":17,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$133k"},{"label":"State prices vs US 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University","Williams-Sonoma","Altana AI"],"valueLabel":"$126k"},{"n":62,"key":"VA|tysons","sub":"VA","href":"/places/virginia/city/tysons","name":"Tysons","rank":20,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$126k"},{"label":"State prices vs US average","value":"+1%"},{"label":"Openings with pay posted","value":"62"}],"value":124629.0801186944,"change":null,"employers":["M.C. Dean","Alarm.com Holdings","LMI"],"valueLabel":"$125k"},{"n":283,"key":"PA|philadelphia","sub":"PA","href":"/places/pennsylvania/city/philadelphia","name":"Philadelphia","rank":21,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$125k"},{"label":"Local prices vs US average","value":"+3%"},{"label":"Openings with pay posted","value":"283"}],"value":121832.3586744639,"change":null,"employers":["Confidential","Thomas Jefferson University Hospital","GSK"],"valueLabel":"$122k"},{"n":52,"key":"NY|white plains","sub":"NY","href":"/places/new-york/city/white-plains","name":"White Plains","rank":22,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$136k"},{"label":"Local prices vs US average","value":"+13%"},{"label":"Openings with pay posted","value":"52"}],"value":120781.5275310835,"change":null,"employers":["New York Power Authority","FormativGroup","RWE Clean Energy"],"valueLabel":"$121k"},{"n":139,"key":"MD|baltimore","sub":"MD","href":"/places/maryland/city/baltimore","name":"Baltimore","rank":23,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$125k"},{"label":"Local prices vs US average","value":"+4%"},{"label":"Openings with pay posted","value":"139"}],"value":119617.2248803828,"change":null,"employers":["Northrop Grumman","Johns Hopkins Medicine","Johns Hopkins University"],"valueLabel":"$120k"},{"n":92,"key":"MD|annapolis","sub":"MD","href":"/places/maryland/city/annapolis","name":"Annapolis","rank":24,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$125k"},{"label":"State prices vs US average","value":"+5%"},{"label":"Openings with pay posted","value":"92"}],"value":119214.2857142857,"change":null,"employers":["Northrop Grumman","Luminis Health","TEKsystems"],"valueLabel":"$119k"},{"n":148,"key":"PA|pittsburgh","sub":"PA","href":"/places/pennsylvania/city/pittsburgh","name":"Pittsburgh","rank":25,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$113k"},{"label":"Local prices vs US average","value":"−5%"},{"label":"Openings with pay posted","value":"148"}],"value":118796.1985216473,"change":null,"employers":["PNC Financial Services Group","Highmark Health","UPMC"],"valueLabel":"$119k"},{"n":94,"key":"NJ|newark","sub":"NJ","href":"/places/new-jersey/city/newark","name":"Newark","rank":26,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$124k"},{"label":"State prices vs US average","value":"+9%"},{"label":"Openings with pay posted","value":"94"}],"value":113740.8088235294,"change":null,"employers":["Broadridge Financial Solutions","Amazon","Audible"],"valueLabel":"$114k"},{"n":58,"key":"NY|syracuse","sub":"NY","href":"/places/new-york/city/syracuse","name":"Syracuse","rank":27,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$118k"},{"label":"State prices vs US average","value":"+8%"},{"label":"Openings with pay posted","value":"58"}],"value":109592.2150139018,"change":null,"employers":["Upstate Medical University","Hidden Level","HII Mission Technologies"],"valueLabel":"$110k"},{"n":71,"key":"VA|norfolk","sub":"VA","href":"/places/virginia/city/norfolk","name":"Norfolk","rank":28,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$104k"},{"label":"State prices vs US average","value":"+1%"},{"label":"Openings with pay posted","value":"71"}],"value":103328.3877349159,"change":null,"employers":["Commonwealth of Virginia","Seacorp","United States Fleet Forces Command"],"valueLabel":"$103k"},{"n":86,"key":"NY|buffalo","sub":"NY","href":"/places/new-york/city/buffalo","name":"Buffalo","rank":29,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$108k"},{"label":"State prices vs US average","value":"+8%"},{"label":"Openings with pay posted","value":"86"}],"value":99912.18721037998,"change":null,"employers":["Moog Military Aircraft","University at Buffalo","Moog"],"valueLabel":"$100k"},{"n":198,"key":"VA|richmond","sub":"VA","href":"/places/virginia/city/richmond","name":"Richmond","rank":30,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$100k"},{"label":"State prices vs US average","value":"+1%"},{"label":"Openings with pay posted","value":"198"}],"value":98911.96834817014,"change":null,"employers":["Mckesson","Capital One","Genworth Financial"],"valueLabel":"$99k"},{"n":79,"key":"NY|albany","sub":"NY","href":"/places/new-york/city/albany","name":"Albany","rank":31,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$103k"},{"label":"State prices vs US average","value":"+8%"},{"label":"Openings with pay posted","value":"79"}],"value":95072.75254865616,"change":null,"employers":["KPMG","New York State","Broadview Credit Union"],"valueLabel":"$95k"},{"n":60,"key":"NY|rochester","sub":"NY","href":"/places/new-york/city/rochester","name":"Rochester","rank":32,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$99k"},{"label":"State prices vs US average","value":"+8%"},{"label":"Openings with pay posted","value":"60"}],"value":91519.92585727526,"change":null,"employers":["L3HARRIS Technologies","Harris Health Strategic Fund","Rochester Institute of Technology"],"valueLabel":"$92k"}],"slug":"best-cities-for-pay-vs-cost-of-living-in-the-mid-atlantic","unit":"openings","scope":{"id":"mid-atlantic","kind":"region","name":"Mid-Atlantic"},"title":"Best cities for pay after cost of living in the Mid-Atlantic","family":"Pay","method":["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."],"builtAt":"2026-11-02T22:01:52.820Z","edition":"2026-11","measure":"paycost","sources":["NextChapter job data: posted annual salary ranges","Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities 2024 (metro areas and states)"],"baseline":{"label":"the typical city in our data","valueLabel":"$132k"},"keyFacts":["#1 Chantilly, VA: $192k","#2 Princeton, NJ: $164k","#3 Mc Lean, VA: $161k","32 cities ranked in the Mid-Atlantic","Data as of November 2026"],"placeNoun":"cities","commentary":["The top ten is tightly packed: Chantilly leads on $192k, and #10 Jersey City is at $142k.","Chantilly reaches #1 on a sample of 54 openings with pay posted, a smaller market than most of the top ten, so its rank can move more from month to month.","New York is the largest market in the top ten, with 6,894 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."],"license":"Free to use and share with a link to https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-pay-vs-cost-of-living-in-the-mid-atlantic"}